Items Tagged With "Economy"

Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib today welcomed the release of a discussion paper by the Industry Reference Group on Employment Services Purchasing.

Senator Arbib said the Government had established the reference group last year to provide advice on stakeholder views and arrangements for purchasing employment services to help job seekers find work, and to help employers find workers.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today visited Mt Isa to launch the first fibre optic backbone link being laid for the National Broadband Network (NBN) on mainland Australia.

“Backbone infrastructure provides the communication links that connect our towns, cities and rural areas to each other and the world,” Senator Conroy said.

Nextgen Networks is carrying out the construction work as part of the NBN Regional Backbone Blackspot Program.

The OECD today released a report which confirms the Rudd Government’s economic and regulatory reforms have protected Australia from the global financial crisis.

In its first ever report reviewing regulatory reform in Australia, Towards a Seamless National Economy, 2009 Review of Regulatory Reform, the OECD states that Australia is a role model for OECD countries in its approach in this area.

The Leader of the Opposition has proven again today just what a straight talker he is.

While visiting a Perth Primary School today Mr Abbot re-iterated his position that he wants to wind back the Government’s stimulus, but also said he doesn’t want to cut funding to individual schools.

“I don’t begrudge any school the money that it’s got, but I do think that the size of the package was too big. I do think that the stimulus was too much too soon,” Mr Abbott said.

*Release with Jennie George & Sharon Bird

Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib and Illawarra MPs Jennie George and Sharon Bird today urged Illawarra businesses to take advantage of the Federal Government’s extra incentive to hire an apprentice.

Senator Arbib said more than 1,932 young trades apprentices had been employed in NSW in the first six weeks of the Apprentice Kickstart program.

Labour Force - January

Labour force figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 per cent in January taking the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 5.3 per cent.

The market expectation had been for unemployment to rise by 0.1 per cent.

This strong result is a tribute to the resilience of Australian employers and employees who continue to work together as the economy recovers from the impacts of the global recession.

*Release with Nick Sherry & Ursula Stephens
 

The Rudd Government today welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission’s final report on the Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector Report.

The Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, said the report highlighted the importance of the not-for-profit sector in the Australian economy and society.

Supermarket shoppers will have more choice after a raft of grocery retailers agreed to free the sector up for more competition, Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Craig Emerson said today.

Following similar agreements reached with major retailers Coles and Woolworths last year, Aldi, Franklins, SPAR, Foodworks and Metcash have agreed not to enter into new leases which make it hard for their competitors to set up shop in the same centre.

A key milestone in the modernisation of the East West rail corridor has been reached with two new passing loops between Kalgoorlie and the Western Australia/South Australia border now completed.

Part of the Rudd Labor Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan, each project involved the construction of a new 1,850 metre passing loop and turnouts as well as the laying of 3,000 new concrete sleepers and four kilometres of new track.

New vehicle sales data released today confirms that the recovery in the Australian automotive sector is continuing to gain momentum, with overall sales and sales of Australian-built vehicles both increasing strongly compared with last year.

Commenting on official VFacts data showing new vehicle sales in January increased by 11.6 per cent on last year, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said that the industry was being assisted by improving economic conditions and by the ongoing effects of the Government’s small and general business tax break.