Industry News

A survey of over 1,000 workers has found that one-in-four young workers are being paid cash in hand, leaving them unable to access their legal entitlements such as penalty rates, sick leave, superannuation and other conditions.

Pre-primary education in Western Australia is to become compulsory under legislation introduced before Parliament by the State Government.

More Victorians will have the option of moving to flexible pricing plans for electricity from the middle of 2013 after the State Government lifted an moratorium on flexible pricing.

The Western Australian Government has launched an allocation plan it says will deliver significant water efficiency gains for the Middle Canning River while supporting existing use and maintaining its ecological values.

Retail giant Woolworths has announced it has sold electronic retail company Dick Smith to Australian private equity firm Anchorage Capital Partners for $20 million.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for Reconstruction Jeff Seeney announced today the Queensland Government would extend the term of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) until June 2014. 

The New South Wales Auditor-General has released a report calling for better oversight and scrutiny of the State’s local councils.

The Queensland Government has announced the latest round of funding recipients under the Cyclone and Flood Warning Subsidies.

The Housing Industry Association has published its annual top 100 Australian builders report, with Metricon Homes taking out the title of the country’s largest builder two years running.

Global giant General Electric (GE) has announced the opening of its newest arm, GE Mining, to be headquartered in Brisbane.

Australia spent in excess of $130 billion on health in 2010-11, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The Federal Government has announced it will find $550 million in savings from pursuing efficiencies in the operation of the public service.

Elsevier and the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) have awarded the winners of the 3rd annual Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Awards 2012, at the ARMS 14th annual conference on the Gold Coast.

The Victorian Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell, has called for local government chief executives and senior officers to ‘embrace professional development programs’ to help address growing challenges in the sector.

2,004 candidates have enrolled for Victoria’s 2012 council elections, recording a four per cent increase over the previous 2008 elections.

The Federal Government has released the findings of the country’s first survey of the employment barriers faced by mature-age workers.

The WWF and Climate Risk have co-published a report that shows that investment in renewable energy resources could stall by 2020 unless the Federal Government’s Renewable Energy Target is increased to 2030.

North-eastern Victorian water supplier Lower Murray Water has posted a $8.8 million loss in its 2011/12 Annual Report.

Western Australia’s Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) has released its final Draft Report on costing and appropriate charges for the services of the Water Corporation, Aqwest and the Busselton Water Board.

The University of Melbourne has become the first Australian university to join the prestigious online course provider Coursera, which offers free subjects to anyone with an internet connection.