Australia scores eighth for global life-work balance in 2025 – but boasts the world's highest minimum wage
The index, compiled by international employment platform Remote, assessed the top 60 GDP nations using a range of indicators including working hours, statutory leave, healthcare, public safety, and inclusivity to determine which nations best prioritise wellbeing alongside productivity.
Scoring 72.1 out of 100, Australia once again outperformed a host of wealthy European nations, as well as the United States, which slumped to 59th place.
It marks the second consecutive year Australia has held the eighth spot. While New Zealand topped the global rankings for the third year running with an impressive score of 86.87, Australia led the world in one critical category - the minimum wage - set at US$18.12 per hour, or roughly AU$24.10.
By comparison, New Zealand sits at US$16.47, and the United Kingdom at US$15.67.
Australian workers also benefit from one of the world's shortest average working weeks, clocking in at just 32.29 hours, far below the global average of 39.19.
Combined with generous annual leave and maternity entitlements, these conditions help explain why Australia continues to rank strongly, particularly within the Asia-Pacific region where it placed second, behind only New Zealand.
A slight dip in the country's happiness score - likely linked to ongoing cost of living pressures - was cited as a factor in its drop, though experts say core entitlements remain among the most competitive globally.
European countries continue to dominate the top of the rankings, with Ireland, Belgium, Germany, and Norway all inside the top five.
In contrast, the United States continues its slide, recording one of the lowest scores in the world at just 31.17.
Australia's performance is also drawing attention within the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, where working conditions and career sustainability remain pressing issues.
Advocates argue that Australia's global standing and wage leadership should provide momentum for improving pay and wellbeing in high-pressure sectors like early learning.
All the index data was collected and analysed in April 2025.
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Years later Niven would be banned from working in financial services. Niven is not under investigation by ASIC in relation to the current scheme, and not accused of wrongdoing in relation to it. The arrangement between the trio was going well until about mid-2021, when the pandemic inflated costs and pushed out the timelines of the fund's property projects. Niven has also pleaded guilty to lying to his bankruptcy trustee in 2020. Soon cracks emerged between Anderson and his board over First Guardian's hefty investment in the Chiodo fund, documents obtained by this masthead indicate. Under pressure from Anderson's board at Falcon Capital, Anderson and Chiodo decided to cut most of the ties between the two groups – First Guardian would sell the CF business and pass on oversight of Chiodo's fund to Chiodo. 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'It is now deemed that [Chiodo] is a hostile manager and that a full redemption program would be set in train by DA.' This masthead asked Chiodo if his fund was in trouble and that was why he made the claim. Loading 'What a load of crap!!! This was purely FGC [First Guardian Capital] not willing to honour our settlement agreement,' he said. Anderson would go on to devise a redemption plan to recoup First Guardian's investment in Chiodo's fund by quickly driving thousands of customers into Chiodo's business. Details of this plan have been confirmed by three sources familiar with First Guardian business and correlate with Falcon's board minutes and a timeline presented by ASIC to the court as part of its actions against Chiodo and Anderson. Under the plan, Chiodo established the Shield Master Fund to bring in new investors. That new fund then absorbed Chiodo's financially troubled property investment vehicle. To supercharge the business, Anderson put Chiodo in touch with Merhi and his business partner Osama 'Sammy' Saad. Merhi and Saad would bring in social media marketing expert Rashid Alshakshir, the former business partner of feared outlaw bikie Hasan Topal. Alshakshir, Merhi and Saad would devise a customer funnel, using social media ads encouraging people to 'find their lost super' or consolidate multiple accounts. Ultimately, it drove customers to Merhi and Saad's financial planning business and then onto Chiodo and Anderson's funds. There is no suggestion that Merhi, Saad and Alshakshir had knowledge of the fund's investments or any misuse of their clients' money, only that ASIC is investigating whether they breached obligations to their clients as financial advisers. As Chiodo's fund grew to $480 million, Anderson had the chance to recoup First Guardian's $95 million in the fund. He never did. Chiodo insisted to this masthead that his and Anderson's use of the same marketing strategy was not a joint plan. Instead, he said: 'David was trying to convince Ferras to allocate a greater portion [of customers] to his fund in order to cover David's need for the redemption.' Anderson and Chiodo would pay out $100 million – or 10 per cent of the money invested with them – to their marketing crew, who now drove Bentleys and other flash cars and had upgraded to lovely homes in Melbourne's better northern suburbs. As the funds swelled with super savings, both men allegedly went on a spending spree using other people's money. Anderson bought a dream home in Melbourne's leafy Hawthorn overlooking the Yarra River and pumped millions into fine dining restaurants via a business arrangement with celebrity chef Scott Pickett and, separately, set up two restaurants in inner Melbourne, one a South-east Asian eatery with 18 craft beers on tap. Chiodo would burn millions pulling together a portfolio of wish-list luxury development proposals in K'gari, Fiji and Venice, rent a corporate box at the MCG and host events with sporting stars like Floyd Mayweather and Josh Giddey. When ASIC came knocking on Chiodo's door in late 2023, Anderson was suddenly focused on First Guardian's investment in the Chiodo fund. In May 2024 Anderson attempted to sell the investment to an American group which never paid, and the investment remained within the Shield fund. Whether that investment, like many others made by Anderson and Chiodo, will ever be reclaimed for investors remains to be seen. Loading As for the property in Port Douglas, despite Chiodo claiming to have spent more than $70 million on works to build the resort, the project was never developed. Earlier this year receivers appointed agents to sell the property on behalf of its lenders. No return is expected for Chiodo's investors from the sale.
