“Name and shame” register floated for NSW businesses breaching workplace law … Remaining CPA directors to resign by end of year … Unemployment down 1.1% since 2016

By Dominic Powell and Emma Koehn. 

Businesses that breach the Fair Work Act would be disqualified from getting government contracts and placed on a public register under a reported plan from the New South Wales Labor Party.

Fairfax reports the ALP will unveil the plans as part of its broader industrial relations agenda today, establishing a “name and shame” register for businesses found to breach workplace law. These policies would be added to a package of reforms including a plan to introduce custodial sentences for unscrupulous employers in the state.

The plans also include the suggestion that businesses would be required to show minimum wage rates along with their business registration documentation on the walls of their premises.

Remaining CPA directors to quit by end of year

The ABC reports the remaining directors of CPA Australia are set to resign by the year’s end, after months of conflict at the accounting body and exit of chief executive Alex Malley.

The revelation comes as directors reportedly face questioning around CPA’s organisation and governance, and as support grows amongst the body’s members for reappointing of the entire board.

Nine new board members will be appointed from October 1 reports The ABC, with seven directors already resigning ahead of Malley’s exit earlier this year.

Unemployment down, but under-employment up

Analysis from Roy Morgan research has revealed Australia’s unemployment figures are down 1.1% compared with 12 months ago, with 9.4% of Australians, or 1.24 million, being unemployed as of July.

However, findings from the research firm also revealed the number of Australians looking for more work is up 0.4% (55,000) since 2016, with the total number of underemployed Australians coming in at 1.2 million.

Figures from Roy Morgan are significantly higher than the Australian Bureau of Statistics unemployment estimate, which comes in at 5.6%, sourced from 4000 monthly interviews with Australians.

“Although new jobs are being created, they are primarily part-time in nature with around 90% of new jobs (196,000) part-time positions compared to only 16,000 full-time jobs. This increasing casualisation of the Australian workforce now sees 35.1% of working Australians employed part-time – up from 34% a year ago,” executive chairman at Roy Morgan Research Gary Morgan said in a statement.

“Finding work for 2.462 million Australians unemployed or under-employed is the Government’s largest challenge.”

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