Productivity summit

Advertisement
Employees covered under EBAs are lucky enough to get a guaranteed annual wage increase. Just don’t call it a ‘pay rise’.

Another great Australian dream goes by the wayside

We’re still a long, long way from enjoying the 15-hour working week predicted in the 1930s.

  • Victoria Devine

Latest

Danielle Wood, CBA CEO Matt Comyn and ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb  at the economic roundtable on Thursday, August 21, 2025.

Up to $60k a day each: The cost of inviting execs to sit at Chalmers’ roundtable

Many of the people at the treasurer’s economic roundtable are earning six or seven figures, but there’s one whose single-day appearance is worth more than $60,000.

  • Millie Muroi
ACTU president Sally McManus and Atlassian founder Scott Farquhar.

Lunchbreak deal to find ways to pay artists for work hoovered up by AI

Australia’s top unionist and a tech billionaire are making moves to confront the challenge of artificial intelligence.

  • Paul Sakkal
Jim Chalmers with Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson and Productivity Commission member Angela Jackson, talks to the roundtable.

We can’t wait another 25 years for results, Mr Treasurer

At least there was no one with a guitar leading the room in Kumbaya. The success of the economic roundtable will be grounded in results.

  • Shane Wright

The act of bastardry that’s hurting young generations

Australians have a tax and welfare system that’s one of the envies of the world. But it’s also transferring masses of wealth to our older generations.

  • Shane Wright
Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport Anika Wells, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities Clare O’Neil and Minister for Education Jason Clare as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at the start of a Cabinet meeting, at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 26 May 2025. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Housing minister, roundtable keen to take red pen to 3000-page building code

 Business bosses, unions and ministers have agreed Australia must strip away red and green tape to speed up home construction, as momentum builds to overhaul Australia’s complex building code. 

  • Paul Sakkal, Shane Wright, Millie Muroi and Brittany Busch
Advertisement

I’ve changed my mind about red tape, but cutting it won’t solve everything

Streamlining regulation won’t be easily or quickly achieved, certainly not in a three-day roundtable.

  • Ross Gittins
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson at the economic roundtable on Tuesday.

Push to recognise overseas qualifications before unions and business clash on tax

As the federal government’s roundtable kicked off with broad agreement to tackle skills and tariffs, a former RBA governor launched an attack on Labor’s economic management.

  • Paul Sakkal and Shane Wright
Coffee was about the only source of calories driving the first day of the economic roundtable.

No phones, no handlers, no nice snacks: day one in Chalmers’ VIP lock-up

Meetings in federal parliament are normally like a buffet of sweet and savoury. But the catering staff are clearly taking to heart the issues central to Anthony Albanese’s economic roundtable.

  • Shane Wright
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will lead a three-day economic reform roundtable from Tuesday.

What we know so far about plans to make Australia richer, happier and more productive

Three days, 900 submissions and a few dozen attendees. Here’s what we can expect from the economic reform roundtable this week.

  • Millie Muroi