This Month
House prices, tradie shortages, banks torpedo rate cuts
Of all the examples Michele Bullock could have given to describe how capacity in the economy works, she chose a tradesperson. What are the chances?
October
Home building speeds up after decade of delays
Despite the advance, construction times remain stubbornly higher than a decade ago as productivity in the sector drops.
Headwinds hit $51b education sector, but Australia in pole position
An American expert says that “a dark winter is coming” for the international industry, but some nations will flourish.
Sydney University request for more overseas students denied
Most universities will be allowed to enrol more international students next year, but one got knocked back.
Housing targets threatened by shortage of apprentices
Not enough learners are signing on to meet the needs of trade industries with numbers at their lowest in a decade.
Government failing to attract enough young people to university
New analysis raises questions whether the government will meet key education targets for more tertiary educated Australians.
Childcare standards drop as more for-profits enter sector
Several submissions to a Senate inquiry into the quality of childcare point to falling standards in the booming sector.
September
Revealed: The ASX sectors that will be hit hardest by AI
New research from Barrenjoey has named the ASX sectors most exposed to technological change. But there’s comforting news for the broader economy.
International student numbers plunge as government visa fees bite
Overall new student enrolments in the year to June 30 were down by 16 per cent, with the English-language college sector down by 38 per cent.
Productivity agenda needed to attract tech workers Trump rejects
Australia needs to bundle immigration policy with bold tax and IR reform to seize the opportunity to access global talent handed over by the US visa crackdown.
Silicon Valley Down Under: Why Trump’s loss could be our gain
The US President’s de facto closure of the H1B visa represents a massive opportunity for Australia, one that Anthony Albanese really cannot afford to let slip.
Bold experiment helping steer girls into non-traditional careers
Australian teenagers have among the narrowest career choices in the OECD. A school on the Mornington Peninsula is changing that.
Tradies’ wages jump to $250k in Perth amid skills shortage
A scarcity of blue-collar workers has pushed up incomes and construction costs for housing. Builders say more skilled immigrants are needed to ease the pain.
August
NSW government asks UTS to call off suspending teacher training
Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan said he had made it clear that he and the “highest levels of the NSW government” were very concerned about the decision.
Australia’s low-skilled migration addiction is killing productivity
Instead of hosting low-wage guest workers, Australia sells study, graduate, and working holiday visas to poor people from developing countries, to do our hard work.
Skills tsar Barney Glover is a living advertisement for good education
The working-class kid with a talent for maths became university head and now head of Jobs and Skills Australia, and has good news for those worried about AI.
The rise of workers using ‘shadow AI’ to do their jobs
A new report says there is a grassroots movement of workers adopting AI, but hide it for fear of being judged lazy, incompetent or cheating.
From psychologists to plumbers: PC calls for rethink of skills system
Restrictive entry requirements for some occupations are impeding economic performance without improving quality, the Productivity Commission has found.
Jobs where the gender balance is getting better (or worse)
Australia’s workforce remains highly gender-segregated, a new report reveals, contributing to ongoing economic productivity issues and skill shortages.
Overseas students win reprieve as new enrolment caps boosted
The government will increase the number of new overseas students who can study in Australia in 2026, even as some universities struggle to fill their 2025 quotas.