Archive for the ‘Employment’ Category.
On Sky’s “The Nation” program with David Speers, Andrew Leigh MP joined an “all economist” panel with respected commentator Jessica Irvine, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher and former Liberal leader John Hewson. We discussed the strength of the Australian economy, the hit on budget revenues, Labor’s DisabilityCare reforms and the Coalition’s regressive parental leave scheme & “WorkChoices lite” policy.
On ABC702 yesterday, I enjoyed a conversation with host Richard Glover and guests Dick Smith and Malcolm Turnbull, ranging from carbon pricing to urban congestion, parliamentary roles to economic growth, helicopter travel to books that make you cry. Here’s a podcast.
On Sky AM Agenda, I spoke with host Kieran Gilbert and Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield about the choice between economic debt of 10% of GDP and a social debt of 200,000 unemployed; about the government’s plans for better schools; and about the passing of former House Speaker Joan Child.
I spoke today about the federal government actions that have made a positive difference in my electorate of Fraser.
Appropriations Bills, 12 February 2013
There are several old chestnuts the Liberals can be relied on to trot out every election year, and one of those that we hear so often in the ACT is the line, ‘Labor ignores Canberra’—the suggestion that somehow Labor governments take Canberra for granted. But, unfortunately for the Liberals, the people of Fraser are a clever bunch. They are able to see through this line easily, because it is so demonstrably false. The investments that this Labor government has made in Fraser are visible everywhere, from the Majura Parkway to the National Broadband Network rolling out and the many schools enjoying new facilities thanks to the Building the Education Revolution program.
In fact, if you were to take the time to visit all of the sites where Labor has invested in my electorate of Fraser, you would be taking a pretty comprehensive tour of Canberra’s north. I can even provide you with a loose itinerary. You can set off from the flourishing suburb of Braddon, where my electorate office is located and where Minister for Human Services Kim Carr and I opened a one-stop shop for Medicare and Centrelink in October last year. The co-location of these facilities is a core part of Labor’s service delivery reforms. It is making access to housing, health, crisis support, education and training, and family and financial support easier for Canberrans.
On ABC RN Drive yesterday, I spoke with presenter Waleed Aly and Senator Arthur Sinodinos about trust in politics and economic management. Here’s a podcast.
I spoke in parliament today about the importance of good fiscal management.
Matter of Public Importance – Fiscal Policy, 5 February 2013
It is a pleasure to rise today to speak on an important issue of economic management. When we talk about the importance of good budget management it is important to remember one simple fact: if the tax-to-GDP ratio today were the same as it had been under the Howard government then the budget would be strongly in surplus.
Dr Emerson: By more than $20 billion.
Dr LEIGH: By more than $20 billion, I am informed by the minister. But if the tax-to-GDP ratio under the Howard government had been what it is today then many of their budgets would have been in deficit. That is a simple fact which those opposite cannot deny. Driving things at the moment are two big factors. First of all, mineral prices have softened, and that has brought down corporate revenue. Second, the Australian dollar remains high. Why does the Australian dollar remain high? Because Europe is underperforming. With Europe underperforming, investors are looking around the world to where they can find AAA-rated government debt. And they are finding it in Australia, one of the few countries that maintains that AAA rating. Despite the fact that minerals prices are coming off, the Australian dollar remains high. So this double-whammy hits revenues, and this is reason revenues for 2012-13 are $20 billion down from what Treasury projected in 2010.
For the last week in January we had a chat about superannuation, industrial relations and the Coalition’s lack of policy vision.
WIN News covered my call for Canberrans to tell me they want to work in the mining industry. They also interviewed a local construction worker who has struggled to crack into the industry.
Ross Peake also covered the story in the Canberra Times.
You can email Andrew.Leigh.MP {at} aph.gov.au or call 6247 4396 to let me know you’re interested in working in or around the mines so I can encourage the companies to come to Canberra and provide more information.
Plenty of young Canberrans want to be a part of the mining boom but aren’t sure how to go about getting a job there. If you’re interested in working in the mining industry, email Andrew.Leigh.MP {at} aph.gov.au or call 6247 4396 to let me know. With enough people interested, I’ll host information sessions on working in the mining industry.
MEDIA RELEASE
Andrew Leigh MP
Member for Fraser
WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THE MINING INDUSTRY?
Andrew Leigh, Federal Member for Fraser, today asked Canberrans to let him know if they want to work in the mining industry.
According to the 2011 Census, only 94 people who usually live in Canberra are employed in the mining industry.
“I’ve had some young Canberrans tell me they’d like to work in the mining industry to try and save some money to buy a house and start a family.
“As Canberra is located so far away from the mines, it’s difficult to get information about how to apply for jobs in the industry,” said Dr Leigh. Continue reading ‘Want to work in the mining industry?’ »
My terrific chief of staff (aka office manager) Louise Crossman has just been offered a job as women’s adviser to Julie Collins, Minister for Community Services, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, and Status of Women. Louise has run my office wonderfully well over recent years, and many in the Canberra community will have had the opportunity to get to know her at community forums and other events.
I’m very sorry to see her moving on, but am also pleased that in past years, I’ve seen staff happily move into jobs with Ministers Combet, Garrett and Collins. No job is forever, and having the chance to work with a team bright and energetic people is one of the things I really enjoy about this job. Over the coming years, Louise is certain to make her mark on Australian politics.
Accordingly, I’m now looking for a new Louise. You can think of the job as a hybrid of ‘chief of staff’ (managing people) and office manager (managing paperwork). Successful applicant will need to be politically attuned, good at teamwork, and enjoy community development. Sense of humour a plus.
The official job ad is below.
OFFICE MANAGER
Applications are invited for the above position based in Canberra.
The duties of the positions include: managing a team of five full-time and part-time staff (plus volunteers), community engagement, liaising with government departments, preparing and coordinating correspondence, organising events and meetings.
Applicants should possess the following skills and experience:
- Experience in managing a medium-sized team in a high-pressure environment
- Passionate about community engagement
- Hard working and enthusiastic about addressing local issues
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Understanding of local media
Extensive understanding of government and parliamentary processes
A commencing salary between $67 956 and $76 548 will be paid, plus allowances up to $25 060, depending on skills and experience.
A probationary period of 3 months will apply.
Applications attaching a CV plus at least two referees should be forwarded to andrew.leigh.mp@aph.gov.au
Applications close on 21 November 2012. For further information please contact Louise Crossman, acting office manager, on 02 6247 4396.
When I was an economics professor at the Australian National University, I wrote an evaluation with Roger Wilkins of the ‘Working Credit’ program, which allows people who are long-term unemployed to get some earnings without losing any of their income support.
We found that the program was surprisingly effective, given how little it costs. Our results are published in the latest issue of Fiscal Studies, and were written up in The Weekend Australian by Patricia Karvelas.
I spoke in parliament today about the importance of early childhood education and the United Voice Big Steps campaign.
Early Childhood Education and the Big Steps Campaign, 13 September 2012
As a parent of two young boys, I am a heavy user of early childhood centres. I remember with great fondness taking my then one-year-old to daycare on the back of a bike. These days I tend to drop them off in the car but it is always a pleasure to see their great enthusiasm when arriving at the Acton Early Childhood Centre. It is a place where they not only have friends but are also learning. One of the great changes over the last couple of decades has been the broad recognition that early childhood is not babysitting; it is education. And high-quality childhood education is fundamental to the future of those individual children and collectively to the productivity and the social wellbeing of our society. I pay tribute to the hard working staff at the Acton Early Childhood Centre.
Continue reading ‘Early Childhood Education & Big Steps Campaign’ »
I recently surveyed the Fraser electorate on their experiences with local child care.
The headline results? Most people are happy with their child’s care, many still collect the Child Care Rebate either quarterly or annually despite fortnightly now being an option and it’s about a 50/50 split as to whether parents are prepared to pay higher fees for reduced staff turnover and higher salaries.
Last Wednesday, I spoke with La Trobe University economist Jan Libich about some of my academic findings – from teacher pay & aptitude to child gender & divorce – and possible policy implications. If you want to read more, the research is available at my academic website: www.andrewleigh.org.
And if you’d like to watch Jan’s other interviews (including with Eric Leeper and Don Brash), they’re available on his YouTube channel.
The long tail of academic publishing means that two years after leaving my professorial post at ANU, I’m still having pieces appear in the journals. In case it’s of interest, here are the handful of publications that have come out in 2012.
All my academic work – including many replication datasets – is available at www.andrewleigh.org.
On Sky AM Agenda, I spoke with host Kieran Gilbert and Liberal MP Steve Ciobo about Australia’s strong pipeline of mining investment, the review of the Fair Work Act, and how policymakers should respond to changes in the media landscape.
Today’s Australian runs a version of my ANU graduation speech in the Higher Education section.
Progress rarely plane sailing but dare to do it anyway, The Australian, 25 July 2012
In 1931, the British air ministry decided to experiment by commissioning a new fighter aircraft. The bureaucrats wanted aviation engineers to abandon past orthodoxies and create something entirely new.
The initial prototypes were disappointing. But then a company called Supermarine approached the ministry with a radical new design. A public servant by the name of Henry Cave-Browne-Cave decided to bypass the regular process and order it. The new plane was the Supermarine Spitfire.
Julie Doyle hosted me and Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield on ABC 24’s Capital Hill program yesterday. Topics discussed include Tony Abbott’s ambiguous position on penalty rates and protection for workers, the efficiency of pricing carbon to improve environmental protection, and the transition to the carbon price.
I addressed graduating ANU students today, speaking about doubt and uncertainty, scepticism and risk-taking, experimenting and being prepared to make a mistake.
‘The Spirit Which is Not Too Sure It’s Right’
ANU Graduation Address
12 July 2012
In 1931, the British air ministry decided to experiment by commissioning a new fighter aircraft.[1] The bureaucrats wanted aviation engineers to abandon past orthodoxies and create something entirely new.
The initial prototypes were disappointing. But then a company called Supermarine approached the ministry with a radical new design. A public servant by the name of Henry Cave-Brown-Cave decided to bypass the regular process and order it. The new plane was the Supermarine Spitfire.
Continue reading ‘The Spirit Which is Not Too Sure It’s Right’ »
If you haven’t yet filled in my Child Care Survey, you can follow the hyperlink or complete it below. I want to hear from a wide variety of parents in my electorate of Fraser, including those who care for their own children at home.
I moved a private member’s motion in the House of Representatives today on the strength of the Australian economy, and the need to approach economic debates with facts rather than fear (avoiding phobophobia).
A Strong Australian Economy
18 June 2012I move: That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) by historical standards, unemployment, inflation and interest rates are at very low levels;
(b) for the first time in Australian history, Australia has a AAA rating from all three major credit rating agencies;
(c) Australia’s debt levels, despite the hit to revenues from the global financial crisis, are around one tenth the level of major advanced economies;
(d) OECD Economic Outlook 91 confirms that the Australian economy will significantly outperform OECD economies as a whole over this year and next; and
(e) the IMF has said of Australia: ‘we welcome the authorities’ commitment to return to a budget surplus by 2012-13 to rebuild fiscal buffers, putting Commonwealth government finances in a stronger position’; and
(2) calls upon all Members to approach economic debates with facts rather than fear, and to put the national interest first when discussing the strong Australian economy.Economic reform in Australia has never been easy. In the postwar decades, the conservatives built up a tariff wall that helped make Australian industry uncompetitive and kept consumer prices high. In 1973, Gough Whitlam began the long process of breaking down Australia’s tariff walls—the 25 per cent across-the-board tariff cuts.
Continue reading ‘Putting Facts Before Fear in Economic Debates’ »
In the SMH News Review section today, I’ve done ‘The Essay’ – a shorter version of my McKell Institute speech.
Dumb Luck – Smart Future, Sydney Morning Herald, 9 June 2012
In the Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of South America, sit the Galapagos Islands. Although they straddle the equator, the pattern of ocean currents has a cooling effect, making them an ideal breeding ground.
The islands are volcanic – so all animal life on the Galapagos Islands came originally by flying or floating nearly 1000 kilometres from Ecuador. And yet for the species that survived, life on the Galapagos Islands was perfect. Migrating birds lucky enough to be blown off course found an environment with few natural predators. Tortoises that floated here found beaches perfectly suited to their breeding environments. Life flourished.
Looking back across Australian economic history, I am often struck by the extent to which luck has similarly played a part in our success. Politicians are sometimes reluctant to talk about luck – preferring to focus on the things we can control than those we can’t. But I think it’s still worth talking about the role that fortune has played, if only to help understand what preparations we should be making. If we don’t do that, we’re like the Galapagos tortoise, which must have thought itself the luckiest species on earth, until British sailors discovered the islands in the late-eighteenth century, and ate them in their thousands.
I spoke today on a private member’s motion, moved by Adam Bandt, to raise the level of Newstart by $50 per week.
Private Member’s Motion – Adam Bandt
28 May 2012The issue of movement from welfare into work is one that has long concerned me. It was the reason that I chose 12 years ago to study overseas, researching on the topic of poverty and inequality, looking at the issue of how to move people from welfare into work and the relative effectiveness of interventions such as government jobs, wage subsidies and training programs.
It is important that we make that transition from welfare into work as straightforward as possible, particularly for families with children. We know that there are intergenerational cycles of joblessness and we know that high-quality programs that increase employment are at the core of a civilised society.
An article in Fairfax papers today asks several MPs’ view on raising unemployment benefits. Not surprisingly, it contains only a snippet of the conversation that I had with journalist Stephanie Peatling. So I thought it might be worth setting out my thoughts on the issue in more detail.
Unlike pensions, which are aimed at being ongoing for multiple years, unemployment benefits are designed to be a temporary payment. Nonetheless, I share the feeling of many of my colleagues that the current level of unemployment benefits are an extremely low amount to live on. If we doubled tax revenue, I’d raise unemployment benefits in a heartbeat. But tax revenue has actually fallen (from around 24% of GDP under Howard to 22% now). So anyone who proposes an expensive policy like significantly increasing unemployment benefits needs to identify which taxes they’d increase or which spending programs they’d cut. (And in the current parliament, how they’d get the change through both Houses.) For example, if you asked me ‘would you scrap an NDIS to raise unemployment benefits?’, I’d say no.
As an economist, I think about tradeoffs, which I’m starting to realise may be somewhat atypical in politics. Perhaps some people answer the question as ‘if the money was free and you didn’t have to lose any of your favourite programs, would you raise unemployment benefits?’. If that’s the question, count me in as a supporter too.
I’m also concerned about the social consequences of intergenerational poverty, since it does look like there may be adverse impacts of welfare dependence in families with children. This is something I’ve worried about quite a bit while since when I was an econ prof at ANU (see for example this paper, or this recent speech). So the JET scheme (which provides childcare to high-needs parents for 10 cents an hour) strikes me as important for the next generation. The ANU ‘Youth in Focus’ study has some valuable insights on the issues too (though the links to it are alas broken at present).
I spoke today at the McKell Institute in Sydney on Australian economic history, with some ideas for the future. The speech is below.
What Do We Eat After the Low-Hanging Fruit? A Brief Economic History of Australia, With Some Lessons for the Future*
Andrew Leigh MP
Federal Member for Fraser
www.andrewleigh.com
Andrew.Leigh.MP@aph.gov.au18 May 2012
McKell Institute, SydneyIn the Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of South America, sit the Galapagos Islands. Although they straddle the equator, the pattern of ocean currents have a cooling effect, making them an ideal breeding ground for tortoises, iguanas, penguins, finches, albatrosses, gulls, and pelicans.
Because the islands are volcanic, what’s striking about animal life on the Galapagos Islands is that all of it came originally by flying or floating nearly 1000 kilometres from Ecuador. And yet for the species that survived, life on the Galapagos Islands was perfect. Migrating birds lucky enough to be blown off course found an environment with few natural predators. Tortoises that floated here found beaches perfectly suited to their breeding environments. Life flourished.
Looking back across Australian economic history, I am often struck by the extent to which luck has similarly played a part in our success. Politicians are sometimes reluctant to talk about luck – preferring to focus on the things we can control than those we can’t. It is true that ‘chance favours the prepared mind’. But I think it’s still worth talking about the role that luck has played, if only to help understand what preparations we should be making. If we don’t do that, we’re like the Galapagos tortoise, which must have thought itself the luckiest species on earth, until British sailors discovered the islands in the late-eighteenth century, and ate them in their thousands.
With Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, I launched the ACT Healthier Work service today. Here’s our joint press release.
Healthy workers make healthy businesses
7 May 2012ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher MLA, together with Federal Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh MP, today launched a new one-stop shop for workplaces wanting advice on developing and implementing health and wellbeing programs.
Commenting on the launch of the new WorkSafe ACT Healthier Work service, the Chief Minister said healthier workplaces made good business and health sense.
“Given the amount of time most adults spend working, it makes sense to focus on promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace,” the Chief Minister said.
“The ACT is not alone in witnessing a significant increase in the burden of chronic disease. Tobacco smoking, the misuse of alcohol, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and obesity are the main risk factors.
Senator Lisa Singh and I have an opinion piece in today’s Canberra Times on the implications of the rise of Asia for Australia. The full text is over the fold. It’s based on our submission to Ken Henry’s Asian Century white paper.
The Asian Century Beckons, Canberra Times, 25 April 2012
In the 21st century, we can confidently predict two trends. First, Australia will become more ethnically diverse. And second, we will become more enmeshed with Asia. The next generation of Australians will be more likely to have been born in Asia, travelled to Asia, worked in Asia, or married someone from Asia.
I held one of my regular community forums at lunchtime today at the Belconnen Community Services theaterette (‘theatre@bcs’). I started off speaking about the mining tax package, which has just passed the parliament, and will provide for a cut to the company tax rate, an increase in superannuation, and more investment (particularly in the mining regions).
There were a wide variety of questions, covering the Gonski review of school funding, local arts facilities, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, refugee policy, the purchase of submarines, the lack of a letterbox at the Kangara Waters community, defence force and public service pension indexation, the adequacy of footpaths in the city centre, the merits of taking on debt to pay for fiscal stimulus, the frequency of grass cutting, household assistance in the carbon pricing plan, and the effect of federal pension increases on ACT public housing costs.
I enjoy the interplay of ideas at these forums, and welcome anyone who lives or works on the northside of Canberra to come along to a future community forum.
This forum was held on a weekday lunchtime, but there’s no perfect time of the day for a community forum, so I aim to vary the dates and times to allow as many people as possible to attend. For details of upcoming forums, click here.
Last Thursday was the 25th anniversary of the land grant for the Wreck Bay Indigenous Community, so I timed my regular visit to coincide with the celebrations.
I spoke in parliament tonight about Asia-literacy, Ken Henry’s Asian Century report, refugees, and the Canberra Multicultural Festival. The speech is below (and if you’re at the Festival this coming Saturday, please come over to the Andrew Leigh stall and say g’day).