Recent publications
IPA launches new unit to drive industrial relations reform
Free market think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs, today launched its new Work Reform and Productivity Unit to drive industrial relations reform in Australia. The Unit will be headed by its Director, the former Australian Building and...
Obama's Union Mates
The 2008 election in the United States has been called several different things. Many Republicans and center-right activists called this the ‘401(k) election' due to the different tax and investment treatments the two candidates proposed....
Submission to the Senate inquiry into the Fair Work Bill 2008
1) Executive Summary In summary, the bill: a) seeks to rewrite Australian unions into the processes of workplace relations law. b) attempts to create a model of workplace relations which...
Submission to the Wilcox Review of Australian construction industry reforms
The ABCC was set up in 2005 as a specialist construction industry enforcement body. It was a key part of the recommendations of the Cole Royal Commission (2002-03) which found wide scale and systemic lawlessness in the construction sector across...
The Cost of Constructing the Commonwealth Games Village
This report forms part of the IPA's submission to the Wilcox Review into the ABCC. Part 1 is available here. This report reveals that contractual arrangements put in place by the Government of Victoria inflated the cost of the Commonwealth Games...
Submission to the National Review of Occupational Health and Safety Laws
The covert return of the Industrial Relations Club
One of the few positive results of the Howard government's WorkChoices reforms was that the old ‘Industrial Relations Club'-the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC), Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Australian Chamber...
How the government and unions help maintain Australia's skills shortage
Submission to the review into Comcare
How the government and unions help maintain Australia's skills shortage
Australia is in the first phase of a demographically induced labour crunch. Labour shortages are not in the distance but are already upon us and will become worse.