Recent publications
The Last Frontier: Existing Opportunities
Anatomy of the Screw
A description of the system of rorting and collusion operating in the Australian commercial construction sector (A submission to the Cole Royal Commission from the Institute of Public Affairs) The IPA contends that, in the commercial...
Take Away Take-Away: The Self-Induced Destruction of the Australian Food Manufacturing Industry
IPA Work Reform Unit Special Report. Australia is a perfect location from which to exploit the booming processed-food markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Yet, some of the major players are quietly disinvesting and moving elsewhere. Why?
Take Away Take-Away: The Self-Induced Destruction of the Australian Food Manufacturing Industry
The Australian food-manufacturing industry is in trouble. Despite its potential, food companies are disinvesting and shifting production facilities offshore. Exports are declining. Productivity is low. The sharemarket performance of most leading...
Why Has the Arse Fallen Out of the Clothing Manufacturing Industry?
The Australian Textiles Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industry is under the hammer. It has all the appearances of a dying industry, with media reports of redundancies, closures and collapses seeming to occur every week. It is an industry that has...
Fit For the West: The Western Australian Approach to Labour Market Regulation
Given the importance of export markets—particularly for the capital-intensive mining industry—to the Western Australian economy, its labour market regulation needs to suit its export-focused economy.
Outworkers speak out
The proposed introduction of Fair Employment Bill by the Victorian Government has caused a lot of confusion and fear among local Victorian clothing ‘manufacturers' and ‘outworkers'.