GPs will be given a greater financial incentive to bulk-bill vulnerable patients under changes to Medicare. The new financial rewards, which kick in from Wednesday, November 1, triple the incentives for the bulk billing of pensioners, concession card holders and children. The move was previously announced in the federal budget as a response to falling … Read more
The Reserve Bank of Australia has resumed hiking interest rates after holding steady for the past four months, piling on financial pressure for mortgage holders. The RBA met on Tuesday and chose to hike the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35 per cent. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Economists share RBA cash rate predictions … Read more
There is more financial pain on the cards for Australian borrowers, with all four of Australia’s big banks announcing they would lift mortgage rates following the Reserve Bank’s Melbourne Cup day hike. The Reserve Bank delivered a 25 basis point increase to the official cash rate on Tuesday. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: After four months … Read more
Award-winning cheese manufacturer King Island Dairy could be sold amid a review by owner Saputo of operations on the remote outpost. Saputo’s “strategic review” of its King Island Dairy facilities will consider “commercial and financial alternatives”, including a potential sale. Dairy giant Saputo purchased King Island Dairy, which makes highly acclaimed blue, cheddar, brie and … Read more
A major overhaul of the nation’s fixed-term contract rules will provide vital protection against exploitation for close to 400,000 Australian employees, experts say. Under new rules, which will apply from Wednesday, December 6, workers will be prohibited from being employed on a fixed-term contract (FTC) for more than two years. Employers will also be forbidden … Read more
Workers in some sectors have received one-off pay boosts as a tight labour market keeps pressure on wages. Firm growth in the wage price index is expected for the September quarter, following the 0.8 per cent quarterly increase in three months to June that was slightly below forecasts. Compared to a year earlier, the Australian … Read more
This article first appeared in The Conversation. Artificial intelligence is changing the world – and one of the main areas it will affect in the short-to-medium term is the workforce. AI algorithms imitate real-world systems. The more repetitive a system is, the easier it is for AI to replace it. That’s why jobs in customer … Read more
Aussie workers who missed out on their proper superannuation entitlements last financial year have now been reimbursed – to the tune of almost $700 million. The “redistribution” comes after the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) tracked down employers who hadn’t paid super properly in the 2022-23 financial year. The ATO collected more than $1.13 billion from … Read more
The Queensland government is doubling grants for people buying or building their first home. About 12,000 people are expected to benefit from the $30,000 grants available from Monday and set to remain in place until June 30, 2025. The change will cost $210 million, with the money raised through the government’s coal royalties regime. For … Read more
Image: Polestar Just over 10 percent of Canadian new car buyers this year chose to buy a battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. According to CTV, the exact number is 10.3 percent. The Canadian market is relatively small, as the massive frigid country is expected to purchase around 1.63 million new cars, trucks, and … Read more
