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Labour force figures released today by the ABS confirm a 48-year low of 3.9 per cent unemployment for the month of April 2022.

More Australians are in work now than ever before.

This is what a strong economy looks like under a Liberal Government.

Even in the face of global shocks like the war in Europe, Australia’s economy has remained resilient. We need to keep the strong economic management going. Now is not the time to risk our economy on an opposition that has no plan and makes things up on the run.

Today’s figures are a reminder of the clear choice at the Federal Election. A choice between the Morrison Government that is building a strong economy and a stronger future or a Labor Party that would weaken our economy.

A choice between a long-term economic plan delivered by an experienced and tested team or a Labor leader who continues to lie about his own economic credentials, has no economic plan and would put our economic recovery at risk.

The Liberals have also announced a plan to deliver an additional 1.3 million new jobs. Under our plan, we will:

• Create another 1.3 million jobs over the next five years;
• Back small businesses with tax incentives to upskill and train their employees;
• Ensure Australians have the skills they need through new funding to support 800,000 new training positions;
• Train the next generation of apprentices with additional incentives, including $5,000 payments to new apprentices and incentives for employers; and
• Back jobs across Australia through our record $120 billion infrastructure pipeline.

Today’s strong economic data contrasts with Labor’s track record in Government. When Labor last came to office, the jobless rate was a little over 4 per cent. When they left government six years later, unemployment was 5.7 per cent and rising and there were 54,600 fewer young people with jobs.

That is what a weak economy looks like.

By working together and following our strong economic plan, Australia’s recovery is leading the world.

Let’s not turn back now.

COALITION	LABOR
Unemployment rate3.9 per cent (Apr-22)	Unemployment rate5.7 per cent (Sep 13)
Youth unemployment rate8.8 per cent (Apr-22)	Youth unemployment rate12.7 per cent (Sep-13)
Underemployment rate6.1 per cent (Apr-22)	Underemployment rate7.4 per cent (Sep-13)
Economic GrowthThe economy is forecast to grow by 4.25 per cent in 2021-22	Economic Growth2.1 per cent when Labor left office
ApprenticesA record 220,000 trade apprentices in training	ApprenticesIn 2012-13, the number of apprentices and trainees in training collapsed by 110,000 – the largest decline on record.

The Commonwealth and Queensland Governments will each invest $360 million to support a new Phase 3 Floods Recovery Package for Queensland under Category C and D of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The Federal Government’s investment in the $720.61 million package follows consultation with the Federal Opposition.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this new investment brought the Federal Government’s total financial support for Queensland’s flood recovery to more than $1.76 billion.

“My Government has always backed Queenslanders in good times and in difficult times, and today we extend that support further,” the Prime Minister said.

“The terrible floods that we saw earlier this year will take many months to rebuild from, and we’ll stand with resilient Queenslanders every step of the way on that journey to recovery.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Category C and D funding is welcome.

“I’ve always said we work best when we work together,” the Premier said.

“I’m pleased the Federal Government has agreed to our request.”

Minister for Emergency Management Bridget McKenzie said the package included new funding for mental health, environmental measures and economic initiatives.

“These investments are the dividend of a strong economy, because when you have a strong budget you can afford to fund the essential services that Australians rely upon,” Minister McKenzie said.

“Long after flood waters recede, continuing support from governments is needed and that’s what this package delivers.”

The package includes:

• Human and Social Recovery Package: $20 million in flexible funding grants; $24.5 million for a community health and wellbeing package; $121.1 million for an accommodation package; and more than $12 million for a community development program.
• Economic Recovery Package: $2.5 million for industry recovery and resilience officers; $14.5 million for a small business support package; $7 million for a tourism recovery and resilience package; $3 million for a rural landholder recovery grant program; and $150 million for medium to large business recovery loans.
• Environmental Recovery Package: $28.9 million for an environmental recovery package; and $28 million for a flood risk management package.
• Infrastructure and Built Recovery Package: $150 million for a community and recreational assets program; $150 million for betterment for roads and transport assets; and $4 million for local recovery and resilience grants.
• Monitoring and evaluation program: $5 million for monitoring and evaluation of the package.

The Commonwealth’s significant contribution to Queensland’s flood recovery effort has included the deployment of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), direct funding to Queenslanders from the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) and the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP), as well as the Phase 1 and Phase 2 packages. Residents across 23 local government areas have been supported, with more than $450.3 million distributed in direct Commonwealth payments to Queenslanders.

More than 17,000 teachers and support staff in 540 Catholic diocesan schools throughout NSW and the ACT have voted overwhelmingly for the right to take protected industrial action in support of five key claims for their new enterprise agreement.

The IEU Executive has endorsed a full-day stop work on Friday 27 May. Rallies will be held throughout NSW and the ACT (see attached list).

“Taking protected industrial action is no small thing – we don’t take it lightly,” said Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam. “Teachers and support staff across both the government and non-government sectors are dedicated professionals pushed to breaking point. Schools have been running on good will, but it is rapidly evaporating.”

For the right to take protected action, IEU members participated in a formal balloting process complying with strict federal laws. It was run across all 11 Catholic dioceses by an external agent – and all 11 Catholic dioceses sent a strong message that it’s time for action.

“The sharply rising cost of living, lack of real wages growth, ever-increasing workloads and the pandemic have caused crippling staff shortages in Catholic schools – our members are exhausted
and burnt out,” Northam said.

“Catholic school employers are following the NSW Government’s lead in limiting pay rises to 2.04%, a short-sighted approach that has resulted in the current staffing crisis. Teachers are leaving the profession and graduates are not entering it.”

The IEU has been negotiating a new enterprise agreement for its members in Catholic diocesan schools throughout NSW and the ACT since January, calling on employers to:

·       Pay teachers what they’re worth (an increase of 10% to 15% over two years)

·       Give support staff a fair deal (pay parity with colleagues in public sector schools)

·       Let teachers teach – cut paperwork

·       Allow time to plan (two more hours release from face-to-face teaching per week)

·       End staff shortages.

“Teachers are totally exhausted, they can give no more,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch President Chris Wilkinson. “With the chronic shortage of casuals, teachers and support staff are being asked
to take extra lessons and double classes on top of their teaching load, which takes away precious planning and preparation time. We urge employers to listen to teachers and support staff, hear our voices and pay us what we deserve.”

Northam said: “During the pandemic, parents and the community realised how vital teachers and support staff are, and just how much work they do. Now we urge employers to Hear Our Voice.”

Contacts

Sydney IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam 0427 667 061
Canberra IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Deputy Secretary Carol Matthews 0418 272 902
Newcastle Therese Fitzgibbon 0427 936 072 Wollongong Pam Smith 0418 297 409

Media: Monica Crouch 0411 645 751; Sue Osborne 0430 220 254 Images: https://bit.ly/IEUmediaHOV

The IEUA NSW/ACT Branch represents over 32,000 teachers, principals and support staff in Catholic and independent schools, early childhood centres and post-secondary colleges.

Authorised by Mark Northam, Secretary, IEUA NSW/ACT Branch

MARCH AND RALLY: FRIDAY 27 MAY

Sydney

10am Sydney Town Hall square, George/Bathurst

Streets (march to Polding House on Liverpool St)

Canberra

10am Thoroughbred Park, Silks Room, Level 2

1 Randwick Rd, Lyneham

Newcastle

10am Wickham Park, cnr Maitland Rd & Albert St,

Wickham (march to Catholic Schools Office on

Hunter St)

Wollongong

10am MacCabe Park, Burelli St

(march to Catholic Education Office on Market St)

Bathurst

10am The Bistro, Paddy’s Hotel, Gilmour St, Kelso

(march to Catholic Education Office on Gilmour St)

Dubbo

10.30am Victoria Park Rotunda, Darling St

(march to Catholic Education Office on Brisbane St)

Lennox Head

10am Club Lennox,

10 Stewart St, Lennox Head

Port Macquarie

9am Westport Club

25 Buller St, Port Macquarie

Tamworth

10am West Tamworth Leagues Club,

Ken Chillingworth Rm, 58 Phillip St, West Tamworth

Wagga Wagga

10.30am Romano’s Hotel, 81 Fitzmaurice St

(march to Catholic Education Office on Tarcutta St)

A Coalition proposal to bust open superannuation could leave every worker tens of thousands worse off, even if they don’t access the scheme, new Industry Super Australia analysis shows.

Under the scheme, funds would be forced to carry more cash – a lower performing asset – this means every Australian with a super fund could have less at retirement.

A 30-year-old on the median wage with a $20,000 starting balance could be between $14,700-$29,100 worse off at retirement, regardless of whether they accessed the scheme or not (today’s dollars).

The increased liquidity requirements would lead to less investment in long-term growth-oriented assets.

ISA modelling shows the liquidity requirements mean annual returns across investment portfolios could fall 10-20 basis points, depending on the demographics of the fund and existing asset allocations.

The Prime Minister compared the Coalition’s scheme with New Zealand’s super system – that allows super for housing – but most New Zealanders gets 1% less per year than Australians.

KiwiSaver balanced option returns delivered around 1.0% per annum less than Australian balanced MySuper products over 5 and 10 years and held around 13.5% less in growth assets than Australian counterparts (see table 1 below).

The New Zealand Retirement Commission has confirmed part of the reason for KiwiSaver’s poor performance can ‘likely be linked to first home deposit withdrawals’. The KiwiSaver experience also confirms funds need to carry more liquidity partly to meet withdrawals for housing deposits, making returns unfavourable to the best Australian industry funds.

If take-up in Australia mirrored New Zealand, funds would have to process almost 250,000 applications for super withdrawals each year for first home buyers, and if average withdrawals were $37,500, total funds released would be equal to $9.4 billion per annum.

As first home buyers make up a third of all purchasers this flood of extra money can only jack up house prices – as government minister Jane Hume has admitted – making housing affordability worse.  

Price surges would quickly gobble up any extra money first home buyers could take out of super, as ISA analysis shows the nation’s five major capital city median property prices could jump by between 8-16%.

Industry Super Australia Chief Executive Bernie Dean said:

“Even those Australians that don’t use their super to buy a house will be left tens of thousands of dollars worse off because of the government’s scheme.”

“New Zealand might beat us at rugby, but Australia is better at growing workers’ retirement savings.”

“Not only will throwing super into the housing market jack up prices and make houses less affordable, but all Australian workers will also be worse off because of lower investment returns.”  

 “Super is meant to be for people’s retirement, not supercharging house prices and pushing the home ownership dream further away.” 

Table 1 – Australian MySuper vs New Zealand’s Kiwisaver (median) 

Years	MySuper	KiwiSaver	Difference
3	7.20	6.67	-0.53
5	7.44	6.36	-1.08
10	7.66	6.56	-1.10
Growth Asset %	68.5	55.0	-13.5

Source: Superratings March 2021 KiwiSaver crediting rate and MySuper crediting rate balanced options

  Methodology notes:

·       In the year to June 30 2021 NZ had  35,130 first home finance commitments coupled with 54,000 first home withdrawals from KiwiSaver accounts a ratio of 1.54 withdrawals for each FHB finance commitment. In Australia there were 162,579 FHB finance commitments in 2021and with the same take-up as NZ we could expect 249,907 super withdrawals. The range of total withdrawals would be in the range $6.25 to $12.5bn depending on whether each application was for $25,000 or the full $50,000 (midpoint $9.4bn).

After a successful motion put forward by Senator Lidia Thorpe, the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs is accepting submissions for an inquiry on the application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in Australia.

“The UNDRIP is a mechanism for First Nations people to enact our Sovereign rights, which have been denied since 1788”, said Senator Lidia Thorpe, a DjabWurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara woman and the Greens Senator for Victoria.

“This is about First Nations people self-determining our own destiny. It’s about legislating our right to free, prior and informed consent when it comes to our Country, our Culture and our People.”

“We need as many voices as possible in this inquiry, to ensure that this Country applies the UNDRIP into the domestic laws of this Country.” Said Thorpe.

To implement the UNDRIP in this country, the inquiry needs to consider:

1. Australian federal and state government’s adherence to the principles of the UNDRIP and the potential to enact the UNDRIP in Australia;
2. key Australian legislation affected by adherence to the principles of the UNDRIP;
3. legal issues relevant to ensure compliance with the UNDRIP, with or without enacting it;

They can be written submissions, visual representations, audio or video recordings. Submissions can be uploaded through the Committee website until June 2, 2022, at this link: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_an…