A Victorian Government inquiry that begins today will consider introducing a licensing system to accredit labour hire agencies, and will also look into insecure work, visa abuse and sham contracting arrangements.
The Australian Law Reform Commission in its "freedoms" interim report has suggested that it might be "desirable" for the inquiry to closely examine whether the IR regime unjustifiably encroaches on freedom of association.
Fair Work Commission Vice President Michael Lawler was involved in a 2012 discussion with NSW police about their investigation into the HSU, according to an affidavit filed with the Federal Court.
The Fair Work Commission's inquiry into the HSU's recent troubles with entry permit applications, first aired in the Heydon Royal Commission, is nearing its conclusion.
A leading silk has told a gathering of major employers that the federal government should adopt the Harper competition review's recommendation to outlaw agreement clauses that limit employers' use of contractors and labour hire employees.
A national survey by the Human Rights Commission has found that a third of older job hunters abandoned their efforts after they experienced age discrimination.
The Senate committee inquiring into the federal government's bargaining bill has handed down a report free of any recommendations to improve it, with Coalition senators wanting it passed without amendment and Labor and the Greens calling for its rejection.
Forty years from now, Australia's ageing population will have reduced the country's total workforce participation rate to 62%, income growth will have slowed, and the average annual wage will be $117,300, according to the Treasury's latest long-term forecast, released today.
