‘Ripe for reform': Productivity Commission tackles trades workforce issues
Australia's Productivity Commission Head Danielle Wood says issues specific to the long-term mobility of the trades workforce are 'ripe for reform'.
'This has been a very long-term agenda, but it is sort of mad that you have a natural disaster in Queensland, and someone just south of the border in New South Wales can't go and help and work there,' Ms Wood told Sky News host Ross Greenwood.
'And obviously bigger issue is the kind of long-term mobility of the trades workforce.
'We think those are areas that are ripe for reform.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
Dorinda Cox accuses Greens of racism in scathing resignation letter
In a fiery resignation letter, ex-Greens senator Dorinda Cox has accused her former party of racism and ignoring serious claims she raised, including disputed allegations of an assault at Perth Airport by a party member. The senator also denied in her letter ever bullying others, contrary to reporting, adding she herself had suffered an "unremitting" campaign of bullying over the past 18 months. Senator Cox spectacularly defected to Labor last week after sitting as a Greens senator for the past four years. Announcing her move to Labor, Senator Cox said her values were more aligned with the government — though it prompted calls from Greens senators to hand back the seat and left party leader Larissa Waters "disappointed". The Greens revoked Senator Cox's membership last week, after her announcement. In a formal resignation letter, Senator Cox said she was no longer bound by confidentiality obligations, and could put on the record how the Greens had "failed [her] as its last First Nations MP, and continue to fail First Nations people". "In my experience, the Greens tolerate a culture that permits violence against First Nations women within its structures. In this respect, the party is deeply racist," she wrote. "My reports to the party and parliamentary workplace services range from being assaulted at Perth Airport by a party member, which was ignored (indeed, I was advised not to report it to police), to incidents involving my staff who were isolated by the state and other MPs offices." The Greens have disputed that account. Senator Cox and former ACT candidate Tjanara Goreng Goreng reportedly made complaints against each other to police in 2023 after an altercation at Perth Airport over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Dr Goreng Goreng denied those claims she harassed or assaulted the senator to The Guardian, and has been contacted by the ABC. The senator also named incidents of rumours being shared within Greens networks as examples of a "toxic culture", where the party had sought to quiet her rather than address issues. "Recently, my children were approached by a former staff member who had publicly made serious allegations about me at a Greens event. This type of mobbing made its way into 'moderated' online meeting chats and the widely circulated meeting minutes of the [Australian Greens First Nations Network]. "The Greens failed in their duty of care for my staff and me, and disregarded the reported and obvious impact of what was occurring. The focus was solely on winning seats," she wrote. Ms Waters's office only learned of the complaint after being contacted by the ABC. In a statement, a Greens spokesperson disputed the claims by Senator Cox. "These claims are disappointing, unrepresentative of the support Senator Cox received and ignore the substantive work undertaken by the party to find a resolution to the complaints made both by and against Senator Cox, and to address the breakdown in her relationship with Greens' First Nations members," the spokesperson said. "The Greens are an anti-racism party, and pushing a senator to take complaints seriously is not bullying. "As the [Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission] and [Parliamentary Workplace Support Service] are the bodies created by parliament to address complaints from staff, they can continue to investigate ongoing matters. This is unchanged by the senator's decision to move to a party that continues to destroy First Nations cultural history through approving coal and gas projects." The ABC has been told former Greens leader Adam Bandt's office was closely involved in finding a resolution to the airport matter, but the other matters raised in Senator Cox's letter were unknown to the party and not understood to have been previously raised with the leader's office. Senator Cox suggested despite her internal struggles she had maintained her professionalism and loyalty to the party, but after the election lost confidence that her concerns would be addressed. The Greens senator apologised late last year after several bullying complaints in her office were reported in the Nine newspapers, citing "challenging conditions both political and personally", but added the reporting was missing context. In her letter, Senator Cox said, contrary to reporting, at the time of her leaving the Greens there were no "grievances" pending against her in the party's conflict resolution process and that none had been put to her during her time as a senator. "I have faced an unremitting campaign of bullying and dishonest claims over the last 18 months," Senator Cox said. Ex-Greens senator Lidia Thorpe claimed last week that she still had an active complaint against her former colleague that had sat unresolved for three years. A former staffer to Senator Cox told the ABC she was "deeply surprised" and "offended" by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's suggestion that complaints against Senator Cox had been dealt with. That staffer, who worked for Senator Cox for six weeks in 2024, said her brief time in the office had left her traumatised. Mr Albanese has repeatedly insisted the complaints have been examined and are in the past. An internal investigation by the WA Greens into complaints raised against Senator Cox has been dropped now that she has left the party. Senator Cox concluded her letter saying she was now free to do the role she was elected to do by the people of WA, and she remained focused on delivering "tangible outcomes for First Nations peoples and other Australians".
News.com.au
39 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Untouched for 80 years: Stunning relic found in Queenslander home
An original Queenslander home, held by the same family for more than 80 years and left virtually untouched, has hit the market for the first time. The retro relic at 119 Mildmay St, Fairfield, has captivated younger buyers with its curios from the past century, including a black-and-white tube TV, kerosene fridge, and rotary dial phone. Marketing agent Paris Arthur, of Place Graceville, said the 1920s-built home on a generous 807 sqm block had been passed down through three generations of a Brisbane family. The current owner, a single woman with no children, had lived there all her life. The property is now listed as she prepares to move into aged care. 'It is quite rare to step into a home that has been in the family for so long – and even rarer one where the walls haven't been painted in probably 60 years,' Mr Arthur said. 'It is very much a time capsule, from the dirt laundry downstairs to the original furniture upstairs, and even down to the old doilies on the table. 'That's the reaction we're getting – even kids are coming in and are fascinated by the rotary dial telephone.' Aside from a new roof added about 10 years ago, the house has never been renovated. Features of the three-bedroom, one-bathroom character home include timber walls, high ceilings and a wide veranda, with an easy flow from the lounge room to the kitchen and dining area. While the family had decluttered the home, they chose not to stage it with modern pieces to preserve its story and suit its retro style. Mr Arthur said the three-bedroom, one-bathroom house offered first-home buyers and renovators a chance to restore or landbank a character home in a sought-after pocket close to the city. 'There is a kind of romance people have with Queenslanders and that is certainly part of the allure here,' Mr Arthur said. 'This is an opportunity to buy a home at more of a budget-friendly end of the market. You're buying a large land parcel – just a house that needs a lot of love. They can afford to buy this and do the work as they go.' He said the house was structurally sound and of hardwood construction. PropTrack data shows house prices in Fairfield were up 10.2 per cent over the past 12 months to a median of $1.135m. The property goes to auction on June 28.
Daily Telegraph
44 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
Australia's next million dollar suburbs revealed
Once the hallmark of Australia's most prestige suburbs, the $1 million home is now a nationwide reality, and for many, a bare minimum. Latest Ray White market data shows Australia now has 923 suburbs with median house prices of at least $1 million, with a further 78 expected to join this exclusive club within the next 12 months. It means there could be over 1000 suburbs with $1m medians by mid 2026, according to senior data analyst Atom Go Tian. 'Melbourne currently holds second place with the most million-dollar suburbs after Sydney, but this could change,' he said. 'Brisbane is surging fast with 17 new suburbs expected to cross the threshold – a surge that could see it tie with Melbourne for second place by next year. 'Regional Queensland is the most popular regional area, buoyed by the presence of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.' MORE NEWS Insane amount celebs spend on Aussie homes Shock salary you now need to buy a home Why luxury home dream could be out of reach for millions Perth: The new million dollar hotspot? Mr Go Tian said Perth had emerged as the star of Australia's housing boom, contributing an outsized 22 of the 78 new million-dollar suburbs. He said the remarkable showing reflected the city's position as having the strongest house price growth over the past three years, with suburbs showing annual growth rates between 11 to 14 per cent. 'The Perth story is one of outward expansion. All of the city's inner suburbs now sit above $1 million, pushing growth into previously more affordable areas,' Mr Go Tian said. 'Roleystone is the most likely candidate to cross the threshold, with current prices at $992,000 and 13 per cent annual growth pointing towards $1.12 million within 12 months. 'Other Perth suburbs are tracking towards even higher levels: Bayswater-Embleton-Bedford ($967,000), Padbury ($969,000), Serpentine-Jarrahdale ($972,000), and Tuart Hill-Joondanna ($958,000) are all positioned to exceed $1.08 million, which is notably higher than comparable suburbs in other capitals.' MORE NEWS: Great Aussie dream crushed by cost surge A new number two! Brisbane's growth is the antithesis to Melbourne's stagnation, Mr Go Tian said. The Queensland capital has experienced sustained 8 to 9 per cent annual growth, with 17 new suburbs expected to cross the million-dollar threshold, a surge that will likely see Brisbane tie with Melbourne for second place by next year. 'Just like with Perth, Brisbane's growth is spreading to the outskirts of the city: Eagle Farm-Pinkenba leads at $978,000 with 9.9 per cent growth, while the expansion spans from Algester in the south ($991,000) to Karana Downs in Ipswich ($983,000), Mango Hill in Moreton Bay South ($978,000), and Riverhills in the west ($976,000),' Mr Go Tian said. 'Melbourne, despite currently holding second place, has seen muted growth over the past three years, meaning no new suburbs will join the exclusive ranks.' MORE NEWS: First-home frenzy: Young Aussies locked out What about Adelaide, Sydney, and Canberra? Sydney's 14 new suburbs tell the story of Australia's most expensive housing market running out of affordable options. With the city's geometric mean house price already at $1.6 million, the new million-dollar suburbs represent the final pockets of relative affordability—mostly clustered in outer growth areas like Currans Hill in Camden ($995,000) and Hassall Grove-Plumpton in Blacktown ($989,000), alongside several Campbelltown suburbs. 'Even these 'affordable' areas are tracking towards $1.02-1.04 million,' Mr Go Tian said. Adelaide's 11 new additions show a similar pattern of expansion from the already-expensive Central and Hills region. Bellevue Heights ($997,000), Willunga ($998,000), and Coromandel Valley ($981,000) in Adelaide South are joined by Plympton ($995,000) and Flinders Park ($991,000) in Adelaide West, all showing steady 7 to 8 per cent growth rates. Behind Sydney, Canberra has Australia's second-highest concentration of million-dollar suburbs. However, the territory's muted growth over recent years means only three suburbs will join the club: Gungahlin ($998,000), Palmerston ($984,000), and Holder ($990,000) are edging across the threshold with minimal annual growth rates of just 1 to 2 per cent. MORE NEWS: Unexpected leader in home price boom Regional winners Mr Go Tian said regional areas weer also making a strong showing across the country. 'Queensland's growth corridors lead the charge – Meridan Plains on the Sunshine Coast ($994,000), Middle Ridge in Toowoomba ($977,000), and Coomera on the Gold Coast ($959,000) – alongside Western Australia's premium coastal areas like Margaret River ($951,000),' he said. 'Gelorup-Stratham in Bunbury stands out with current prices at $953,000 and 12 per cent growth, demonstrating that Perth's housing boom extends well beyond the metropolitan area.'
