Today
Greens join push to scrap junior worker pay rates
The Greens would push a second term minority Albanese government to abolish lower rates of pay for young workers in retail, fast food and pharmacy.
- 46 mins ago
- Tom McIlroy
September
The unassuming senator with Labor’s fortunes on his shoulders
Queensland is at the centre of two crucial elections in the coming months, and the personable Murray Watt might be the bridge builder who helps tip things for the ALP.
- James Hall
No retreat on IR laws, Albanese tells business
Labor and business will have to agree to disagree on industrial relations but, otherwise, they have a lot in common, Anthony Albanese says.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Why business is prepared to headbutt Albanese
The Albanese government is under siege from a business community alienated from Canberra and dismayed by the lack of an economic agenda to drive growth.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Exclusive
- Australian economy
Kelty condemns Labor failure on economic growth
Trailblazing former union leader Bill Kelty says the Albanese government has no plan for economic growth and no appetite for the big reforms to secure Australia’s future.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Opinion
- The AFR View
BCA must speak out on Australia’s big-picture policy challenges
Some of the criticism in our story of the declining power and influence of an institution, whose meaningful voice helped reform Australia’s economy, we believe is merited.
- The AFR View
Union redundancy fund war heats up
A major NSW fund has blocked members from transferring their money to the John Setka-backed Incolink fund in a fight to control billions of dollars in the unregulated sector.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
- Analysis
- Federal election
From Beaconsfield to Bruce: Labor’s loss will be education’s gain
Bill Shorten will rival, if not supplant, Kim Beazley as the best prime minister Labor never had.
- Phillip Coorey
August
Rogue CFMEU leaders vow ‘absolute destruction’ of Labor
Ousted CFMEU officials have vowed to campaign to turf Labor out in state and federal elections, as tens of thousands stopped work to protest the CFMEU administration.
- David Marin-Guzman and Gus McCubbing
Right to disconnect is ‘silly’ and will cost businesses extra
The new workplace entitlement gives most employees the right to ignore contact from their bosses outside normal working hours, unless doing so is unreasonable.
- Patrick Durkin and Euan Black
Wayne Swan’s Cbus plays a sticky wicket
Superannuation funds are barred from marketing expenditure they can’t prove is in the best financial interests of their members. Cbus will have to prove it.
- Myriam Robin
Getting witnesses to talk is tough in CFMEU case, court told
The judge in the union administration case has recused himself at the first hearing, as the Fair Work Commission’s lawyer warns it will take time to prepare the case.
- David Marin-Guzman
July
- Opinion
- Building Bad
How to burst the CFMEU’s balloon for good
Press the construction union, and it simply bulges up somewhere else. More tools are needed if the union’s long-term culture is to change.
- Peter Richards
- Opinion
- Building Bad
On CFMEU, Albo must emulate Hawke
The union must be deregistered, and government construction contracts must once again be used to ensure that unacceptable union behaviour is not tolerated.
- Roger Gyles
- Opinion
- The AFR View
CFMEU’s industrial power has corrupted
The scale of the systemic wrongdoing that has been uncovered demands a fuller judicial inquiry that must also probe the institutional enablers of the CFMEU’s crimes.
- The AFR View
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
Albanese to push aside CFMEU bosses
The Albanese government will seek to appoint an external administrator to clean up the CFMEU, sidelining its national and state leaders. The MUA is also considering whether to split from the CFMEU.
- David Marin-Guzman, Phillip Coorey, Hannah Wootton and Gus McCubbing
How vicious feuds 50 years ago sowed the seeds of the CFMEU
The evolution of today’s militant construction union can be traced back to the unlikely locale of the leafy Sydney suburb of Hunters Hill.
- Andrew Clark
- Updated
- Building Bad
Victorian premier accused of ‘smokescreen’ as response falls short
Jacinta Allan has been accused of “turning a blind eye” to the alleged criminality on worksites, as top union leaders back the union’s ability to investigate itself.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing, Hannah Wootton and David Marin-Guzman
- Investigation
- Building Bad
Caught on film: How Setka and the CFMEU wield their power
Videos show John Setka delivering a suitcase message to a rival’s home, and other officials issuing threats and boasting of the union’s total control.
- Nick McKenzie, Ben Schneiders and David Marin-Guzman
June
- Exclusive
- Cash economy
In the Armaguard deal, keeping cash flowing was about more than money
How the Fox family and Bill Kelty finally got a deal with the banks to secure a viable future for the cash distribution business despite a dramatic fall in the use of cash.
- Jennifer Hewett