labor - Economics Students Society of Australia

labor

A collection of 24 posts

The economics behind the ‘living wage’ debate

The economics behind the ‘living wage’ debate

Debate concerning whether Australia’s minimum wage should become a ‘living wage’ has been sparked by a campaign from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).[1] This has been led by the belief that the current minimum wage is not enough for workers to sustain a healthy living standard.

Double Dissolution, Double Jeopardy: The Senate

Double Dissolution, Double Jeopardy: The Senate

A chaotic Senate was one of the defining characteristics of the Coalition’s term in government. It was a key motivating factor in Malcolm Turnbull’s decision to trigger a double dissolution election, which puts all 76 Senators, rather than just half, up for election. The early results, however, suggest

Election 2016: Youth unemployment

Election 2016: Youth unemployment

“Jobs and growth” has been the mantra of the Government’s re-election campaign, and as always, the economy has been the most important topic of debate in Election 2016. Australia is currently grappling with a serious youth unemployment problem, especially in rural and regional areas. Unemployment among 15-24 year olds

Election 2016: Unimelb Presidents' Pitches

Election 2016: Unimelb Presidents' Pitches

So, after 8 weeks of gaffes, selfies and high-vis vests, the moment of truth has finally arrived. Tomorrow, Australians cast their vote to decide our political future (at least for the next few months, before our traditional mid-term ministerial mutiny). Over the last 24 hours, ESSA has brought you comprehensive

Election 2016: Infrastructure

Election 2016: Infrastructure

The infrastructure policy landscape is a complex web of competing interests at the local, state and federal level. Here’s a primer on some important aspects of the infrastructure debate. * Infrastructure policy is important – it lays down the foundation of our economy and society. It’s the roads we drive

Election 2016: Industrial Relations

Election 2016: Industrial Relations

Industrial Relations Traditionally one of the battle grounds of the Australian Federal Elections, the focal point of this year’s workplace relations debate is penalty rates. In recent timess, this has proven a crucial policy area, with the Howard Government losing the 2007 elections when his Australian Building and Construction

Election 2016: Indigenous Affairs

aboriginal and torres strait islanders

Election 2016: Indigenous Affairs

Constitutional recognition All parties have cited a commitment to pursuing a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the Australian Constitution. Both parties supported, this year, the establishment of a Referendum Council to discuss the proposal and when the referendum should be held, which is currently ongoing. According to the Recognise

Election 2016: Higher Education

Election 2016: Higher Education

This election has been notably devoid of Federal frontbenchers getting assaulted on university campuses (there is, of course, still a day to go). That notable omission notwithstanding, Higher Education is as much an issue in 2016 as it has ever been. What follows is a summary of the policy positions

Election 2016: Marriage Equality

Election 2016: Marriage Equality

There’s a lot of hullabaloo about marriage equality, both at home and abroad. What does it all mean? Here’s a potentially handy guide that will help you sift through the noise, and hopefully, answer some of your burning questions. 1. What is “marriage”? Depends who you ask. To

Election 2016: Childcare

Election 2016: Childcare

Childcare has been one of the most expensive policy mainstays of the major political parties, with both the Coalition and Labor proposing different versions of a $3 billion package. Balancing its status as a sensitive issue in the electorate, the parties need to respond to the two particular concerns raised

Election 2016: School Education

Election 2016: School Education

Labor Labor has resolved to focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, to increase the level of funding to schools and to improve the efficacy of funding. With regard to STEM subjects the ALP plans to encourage STEM graduates to teach, by offering 25,000 Teach STEM scholarships

Election 2016: Housing

Election 2016: Housing

One key policy area this election is the ever-popular subject of housing. What policies are being offered by the major parties in 2016? Here’s a brief summary. Labor Labor’s policy on housing affordability comprises two parts: changes to negative gearing tax concessions, and changes to the capital gains

Election 2016: The NBN

asanga seneviratne

Election 2016: The NBN

The late night AFP raid on Labor Party offices that awoke the nation on the cusp of the Federal Electron sparked outrage on both sides of politics. Bill Shorten lambasted it as an opportunistic attempt by the Coalition to cover its tracks after leaked documents revealed an NBN struggling to

Negative gearing: Glue in the “House of Cards”?

Negative gearing: Glue in the “House of Cards”?

While it has faded amongst the haze of the US primaries, the Panama papers and more recent tax debates, something remarkable happened on February 13th. Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten unveiled sweeping proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains taxation as part of the party’s 2016 election platform.

The state of the state

The state of the state

In 2014 Australia’s political and economic landscape has been dominated by Federal affairs, allowing the Victorian state election to creep onto the horizon without as much attention as many would have expected. On November 29, Victorians will go to the polls to decide whether to extend the Coalition’s

Carbon cost: reflecting upon the repeal

Carbon cost: reflecting upon the repeal

The carbon tax. Briefly here; now it is gone. On Thursday, with a motley crew of new crossbenchers finally pulled into line, Tony Abbott achieved the act that has fundamentally driven his rise from an outlying frontbencher to Prime Minister over the past five years. The repeal of Labor’s

Taxation gone topsy-turvy

Taxation gone topsy-turvy

After reading last week’s Federal budget, Australians could be forgiven for thinking the world has gone completely topsy-turvy. How is it that a deficit levy and an ongoing rise in fuel tax has been introduced by none other than new Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has only recently been

The ReTurnbull Movement – the future of the Liberal Party?

The ReTurnbull Movement – the future of the Liberal Party?

Now that Kevin Rudd has regained his position at the helm of the Australian Labor Party, the soap opera that is Australian politics has almost immediately turned itself to the future of the relatively stable Liberal Party. Specifically, rumours are now flying about the unsung ambitions of shadow communications spokesman

The economics behind the politics of the federal budget

The economics behind the politics of the federal budget

The Federal Budget is fundamentally – perhaps with a bit of accounting incorporated – an economic conception, right? Wrong. While in an ideal world the political implications of fiscal budgetary processes would be disregarded, the reality is that politics ultimately determines the economics of all government budgets – albeit to various extents. Perhaps

Labor's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Labor's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The Coalition’s conditional support for the Labor proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has sparked media frenzy and has dominated domestic news headlines this past week due to the wide and deep affects this will have on the community at large. The scheme, funded in part by revenue raised

Why we sometimes have to rob Peter to pay Paul

Why we sometimes have to rob Peter to pay Paul

Critics have called it “incoherent” and “schizophrenic” [1]. It sounds alarming on its own, but the Federal Government’s $2.3bn proposed cuts to funding for tertiary education is not the be-all and end-all to signing off David Gonski’s school funding deal. And while less spending money is never

Chinese GDP and growth: What's in a number?

Chinese GDP and growth: What's in a number?

Recently China’s president Xi Jinping was quoted in saying that China’s GDP growth will be subdued in the foreseeable future, relative to the rapid growth in the past decade. China’s official newspaper Xinhua has put the internal target at 7.5% p.a. for 2013 from a

Superannuation: an incentive to save or upper-class welfare?

Superannuation: an incentive to save or upper-class welfare?

Superannuation reform – how boring, right? I suspect you aren’t aware of this fundamental loophole though. Consider this. Currently, the Australian superannuation system allows an individual who has (a) reached 60 years of age and (b) decided to permanently retire to simply withdraw all of their funds from super – completely

Two Sides of Politics - A Fiscal Tug of War

Two Sides of Politics - A Fiscal Tug of War

With the September Federal election looming, both Labor and the Coalition are expected to use every political weapon in their arsenal, aimed at capturing every possible vote. Undoubtedly some of the most lethal are fiscal policies offering the highest possible marginal political benefit. Already, treasurer Wayne Swan’s decision to