annie unsworth - economics notes topic 4.docx[1]
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Economic Notes
Topic 4: Economic Objectives and PoliciesMacroeconomic Policy
The recent GFC foregrounded a reordering of Australias economic priorities Currently, the Principe concern for the Australian economy is high levels of
economic growth, with low unemployment (which is a derived demand)
The aim for economic growth is 2-3% p.a. over the full business cycle, whilstthe desired position of unemployment is full employment
within the current economic conditions, GDP has recorded 2.7% , whilstunemployment measures 5.3%
The remaining economic objectives are somewhat lesser, however, with themost recent IR rise; the Reserve bank has clearly raised concern of potentialfuture inflation, (aim 2-3% over the course of the business cycle), whichcurrently measures 2.9% yet has the potential to increase
Also, residual concern lays upon the environment (ESD), income distribution(equitable) and the current account
Monetary Policy Definition
Monetary policy refers to the manipulation of interest rates to
influence the level of economic activity 2-3% inflation full employment growth between 2-3%
Historic Inflationary Targeting saw interest rates rise to 7.25% in
March 2008 However, priorities have been redirected towards growth and
unemployment with their fall to 3.0% in April 2009
However have raised to 4.50% in May 2010
Domestic market Operations Are conducted between the RBA and financial institutions and banks
in the Short Term Money Market The short term money market fives financial institutions access to
deposit and lending facilities to settle debt between themselves throughtheir exchange settlement account
The cash rate is the price of borrowing from the STMM
To increase the cash rate (tighten monetary policy), sells commonwealth governmentsecurities to the banks this decreases liquidity (availability of funds)
To decrease the cash rate (loose) it purchases CGS to increase liquidity and decreasecompetition for cash and therefore decrease the cash rate
Cash rate movements are passed on in a competitive banking
environment in order to ensure products and due t their competitivenature
Keynesian Transmission Mechanism Consideration should first go towards the RBAs contractionary policy. They
Keynesian Transmission mechanism diagram is an economic theory used toexplain how monetary policy affects the economy
See diagram next page
In the case of contractionary monetary policy, the following impacts apply
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If the RBA uses DMO to sell back T notes(S to S1), it decreases liquidity inthe official cash market (shift from r to r1), causing short term yields andinterest rates to increase (R to R1) due to the competitive banking structures
As interest rates increase the marginal efficiency of capital (determined by the
rate of profits compared with interest rates) increases causing a decrease inautonomous investment from I to I1
There is a certain quantity of investment for which it is no longer
profitable, due to increased interest rates
As demonstrated by panel 2, the increase in investment shifts AD from Ad1 toAd2. As autonomous investment decreases, the level of national income andemployment decreases via the multiplier effect
The RBA can use monetary policy to bring about price stability,
through reducing the inflationary gap Expansionary policy can reduce unemployment, through increasing
aggregate demand, which increases the demand for resources includinglabour
Contractionary policy can decrease output due to increased production
costs and decreased future sales
Recently, the RBA has increased the cash rate from 3-4.5% between October2009 and May 2010
Concerned with external inflationary pressures, and that Australia hadremained resistive to the GFC (lower unemployment than expected, positivegrowth), the RBA pre empted future inflation
Exchange rate (not related to diagram) Changes in domestic interest rates affect the exchange rate
An increase in Australian interest rates relative to overseas will attract
an inflow of foreign capital, increasing demand for $A and causing anappreciation of its value
This reduces the competitiveness of export firms and of import
competing firms resulting in a decrease in output An increase in interest rates also decrease consumption and imports,
which decreases the supply of $A increasing $A
Limitations Interest rates cannot target specific parts of the economy
A blunt instrument since an increase in interest rates affects all
sectors of the economy irrespective of other government policies Can adversely affect all types of spending, even if the problem is
excessive spending in only one area, such as housing
Interest rates cannot deal with cost-push inflation Monetary policy can influence demand-pull inflation, inflationary
expectations and imported inflation, but is not good at dealing withcost push inflation
Higher interest rate = higher repayments higher costs = higherinflation
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Investment is based upon other factors Stock levels, excess capacity, sentiment, future expectations
The transmission from the cash rate to interest rates
Increase in cash rate by 0.25% saw Westpac increase I.R by 0.4% dueto overseas costs
The main advantage is the relatively short time lag Normally takes 6-9 months for an interest rate increase to affect
aggregate demand and the level of national income, whereas fiscalpolicy can take 24months
Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy refers to the use of the sixe and pattern of taxation and
government spending A key component of the current policy mix is its extensive deficit in
the fiscal balance Contractionary stance
Increased budget surplus (T>G) or a decreased budgetdeficit
Blanced Budget Occurs when G =T
Exanisiornary Stance Increased Budget deficit (G > T) or a decreased budget
surplus Fiscal policy can be broken down into two key components structural
and cyclicalExpenditureAD1 = C + I + G1 + X-MAS
AD = C + I + G + X-M
Expansionary
AD2 = C + I + G2 + X - M
Contractionary
Income
The effect of budget stimulus can be seen in the above figure A budget deficit leads to an increase in aggregate demand from AD to AD1 This leads to increasing demand for resources and income via the multiplier
effect until a new equilibrium is achieved at a higher level of national income,which indicates growth
An increase in NY sees and increase in investment in new productive capacityand therefore an increase in output
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All the while, the injection attempted to improve confidence which sought toenhance the multiplier
1. Structural component refers to the deliberate changes in government spendingor taxation (discretionary policy)
Budget has two objectives Macro (medium term) to bring about a change in the level of aggregate demand in
the economy Through the multiplier change economic growth and employment Micro (long term) to bring about a structural adjustment, through a relocation of
land, labour, capital and enterprise to increase efficiency and productivity Structural change, changes income distribution For instance the 2010-11 budget, the government has increased funding on
infrastructure by $5.6 billion. As well as $2.2 billion for a national health care system
as well as $653 million in a renewable energy future fund.
2. Cyclical component This refers to the automatic stabilizers, which offset the extremes of the business
cycle. Aim to stabilize the economy in order to remove the peaks and troughs of the business
cycle. These include a progressive taxation system
Greater proportion of incomes taxed in boom containing growth in aggregate demand Lower proportion of income taxed in a recession. Maintains aggregate demand to
achieve activity and employment Transfer payments
Increase when the rate of unemployment increases in a recession This increases GE which helps raise AD Automatic stabilizers are counter cyclical, that is, they operate to reduce or cap the
peaks of economic activity. Therefore, reducing inflationary pressuresRate of economic growth
For instance when economic growth declines, the demand for labour decreases
leading to falling wages and greater unemployment levels. The provisions of a socialsecurity payment act to ensure that these people can maintain a minimal level ofconsumptions.
The effect of the automatic stabiliser
When considering these conditions, the 2009-10 budget saw $57.6 billion deficitwhich included $338.3 billion of expenditure. However, following the twin deficittheory, such has aided in crowding out private sector debt and adding to the Cad.
The priorities of fiscal policy have changed over time. Between 1998 and 2008, the primary objective was external stability (reducing
deficits) as the private sector was taking care of growth and employment This dramatically changed with the onset of the GFC. Economic growth, was sought
through automatic stabilizers and discretionary demandBudget Policy and effects
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Resource Allocation: The budget offers growth through supply side management
The budget uses taxation and government expenditure to send price
signals and allocate resources to ill-resources sectors of the economy $ 5.6 billion in a new infrastructure find allocates resources to roads, rails, ports etc.
Investment in new productive capacity attempts to overcome structural constraints togrowth. Highlighted by the constrained ability to export coal to China. Framework forlong term growth
$4.5 billion clean energy, which stresses solar cells has allocated income andresources to sustainable power source
Inflation: Demand pull inflation
Aggregate demand chases aggregate supply as the sale of resources goods andservices are auctioned upwards
Income Distribution: Income reallocated towards low income earners who spend a greater
proportion of their income Pensions Carers payments
Unemployment: The budget has also stressed structural, frictional and cyclical
unemployment Cyclical:
Employment is a derived demand Structural (skills shortage): Training 18,000 nurses (2009 2013) Apprenticeship subsidies in over 500 occupations
Frictional Programs such as the $4.9 billion Job services
Australia, seeks to better connect job seekers withopportunities e.g. writing resumes
Also attempted to remove waiting periods Throughout the GFC, unemployment peaked at 5.8%, which is much
lower than the previously predicted 10%p.a it is currently at 5.4%.
However, reduced full employment was offset by increasing part time
Environmental Sustainability: $4.5 billion clean energy find, which stresses solar cells, has
reallocated income and resources to a sustainable power source
Current Account Deficit: Increase in Public sector debt through the crowding out effect of
Australian savings CAD has deteriorated from a low of 3.4% to 4.9% in March 2010
Funding a deficit Deficit financing
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Borrowing funds from the private sector by selling new
commonwealth government securities in domestic financial markets Deficit financing is undertaken by the federal government selling
treasury bonds Advantages
No change in money supply No increase in the new foreign debt as the government has not borrowed overseas to
fund the budget deficit Disadvantages
May cause a rise in interest rates and crowding out of private investment Higher interest rates may increase capital inflow, raising the exchange rate, which
reduces the international competitiveness of Australian export and import substitutes Leads to the accumulation of national debt by government and sets up future
obligations in the form of public debt interest
Monetary financing (Also known as printing money)
it can borrow from the RBA by instructing the RBA to simply print
money to cover the shortfall in budget revenue Advantage
No change in interest rates and no accumulation of public debt Disadvantage
An increase in the money supply and a danger of rising inflation if the economy is atfull employment
Borrowing from overseas
It can borrow funds in overseas financial markets by getting the RBAto sell new government securities in return for foreign currencies Advantage
No increase in domestic interest rates Disadvantage
The government accumulates foreign debt and this adds to the size of the CADMicroeconomic Policy
Microeconomic policy is supply side management which aims to maximizethe allocation of resources between firms and industries in order to maximisethe output of scarce resources
The underlying motivator of microeconomic policy is structural
change: changes in the economys patterns of production over time, asevidence by the reallocation of land, labour, capital and enterprise.
Microeconomic policy accelerates structural change through sending pricesignals to enterprise which in turn reallocates resources and income to achievetechnical, allocative and dynamic efficiency, which subsequently achieves thesix economic objectives
Long term aim to trigger a reallocation of resources and structural changeStructural change: a change in the resource reallocation and patterns of
production in an economy over time caused by changing technology, governmentpolice, the price mechanism, competition and globalization Microeconomic policy is required due to the inadequacies of macro policy.
The stimulation of AD is infallible in raising resource consumptionand promoting growth,
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However, as evidence by the short run Philips curve, there is a trade
off between inflation and unemployment. Also, macro-policy cannotaddress structural problems.
For instance in Australia, patterns of production were built behind protection, whichin no way promoted comparative advantage and blocked any attempt to yield the
fruits of globalization Supply side economics can reduce NAIRU, improve international
competitiveness and manage inflation
Industry Sector % ofgrossdomestic
product(GDP)
% of TotalEmployment
% ofExportsof goodsandservices
1989 2008 1989 2008 1989 2008
Agriculture 4.0 2.3 5.7 3.2 26.0 13.0
Mining 4.4 7.6 1.3 1.2 40.0 50.0Manufacturing 15.4 9.7 16.1 9.8 14.0 15.0
Services 76.2 80.3 76.9 85.5 20.0 22.0
Three types of efficiencies Allocative efficiency:
Patterns of production to maximize the overall utility and reduce opportunity costthrough a shift in the allocation of resources
Technical efficiency:
Firms producing at the lowest cost possible (technical optimum) Dynamic Efficiency:
Ability to change from producing one product to another Requires that firms be innovative by introducing up-to-date technology and by
responding to the changes in the needs of their customers.
Product market: final goods and services are sold Factor market: productive inputs such as land, labour, capital and enterprise
are sold.Role of microeconomic policy reformEconomic rationalism clearing obstacles and allowing market forces to induce
structural change
Increased competition Reducing the inefficiencies which result from distorted price signals
Price signals causes increase in productivity
Firms will need to be more innovative in the face of competition
Improved productivity Assists in the international competitiveness of local firms from import
competition Is more resistant to inflation
Reduction in price distortions (created by the tax system and governmentsubsidies)
In the past government business enterprises were sheltered from
competition Meant that they had higher prices and a lack of competitiveness
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Moving may business activities out of the public sector and into the private sector Less resistance to the market forces encouraging structural change
Technological advances, changes in income or consumption patterns,
increasing global specialization as well as resource discovery ordepletion can trigger changes in the output patterns in the Australian
economyThe benefits and costs of microeconomic reform
Benefits Productivity growth
Increased national income, and improved living standards Increased productivity is often triggered by increased competition in the goods and
factor markets Controlling inflation
By promoting competition, firms are less able to increase prices and so will be lesswilling to grant excessive wage rises
Allocative efficiency
Competition makes firms more flexible and responsive to change in consumerdemand
Costs Job losses
Structural unemployment Lower wages
Increased inequality in the distribution of income Labour market deregulation ay mean workers relying n safety net wage rises will fare
worse than those able to negotiate enterprise agreementsUnilateral Tariff reform
Tariff reductions: engaged by historic government 1975 Whitlam government: 25% across the board protection cuts
Hawke Government industry statements (1988, 1991)
By 2005, average maximum 5% excluding TCF, PMMV at 10%
Premise: intense competition sent price signals to domestic industry
Foreign resources and incomer are reallocated domestically To remain competitive firms must raise productivity to reduce costs Not always the case: in this way, resources are allocated towards their most efficient
use as per the principles of comparative advantagAlso promotes economies of scale,innovation
Long Term growth
GDP (National Income)
Benefits indicated in figure 1 Productivity gains shift aggregate supply to the right
New equilibrium: reduction in inflationary pressures whilst retaining
real GDP Low inflationary growth This causes a lower costs of production, expansion in output ad income Hence, there is higher GDP and employment without an increase in inflation This causes a shift in NAIRU to the left
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Benefits are not purely domestic: international competitiveness raises
exports CAD improvements
However, structural unemployment
Example smaller more productive industry PMV tariffs fell 40% -10% 1990-2005
Entered niche large passenger vehicle market
Resources allocated to competitive industry
Economies of scale: per employee 12-18 cars per year between 1990-
2005 Turnaround of $AU 224 million loss to $AU 372 million profit (export
middle east) Reduced inflationary pressures International competitiveness and productivity gains create long term framework for
growth Improve CAD through greater exports
However structural unemployment misallocategovernment income
Taxation reforms Goods and services tax, Decrease in the marginal tax rate and the streamlining of tax through pay as
you go Decrease in company tax rates from 36% to 30%
Raises incentives to work, save and invest
Through making it more efficient and equitable it increasesproductivity, savings and investment.
Competition Policy Competition policy is about bringing about workable competition that will
produce the best structure, conduct and performance in an industry The ACCC seeks this workable competition
The best level of competition in a market that maximizes consumer
choice and utility and allow firms to ahcievea satisfactory level of
economies of scale 9 Perfect competition is not always possible or desirable.
Trade Practices Act 1974 Price collisions and fixing agreements are illegal
Outlawed price discrimination
Resale price maintenance
Restricted mergers with or takeovers of rival firms
Competition Policy reform act (1995) Outlawed anti competitive behaviour, collusion, exclusive dealings,
price discrimination
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Achieve maximum workable competition (perfect competition or
monopoly) To remain competitive firms must raise productivity to reduce costs Resources are allocated towards their most efficient use as per the principles of
comparative advantage
Also promotes economies of scale, innovation Low inflationary growth
Telstra: enforced through ACCC. Provided second part y access to
Telstra infrastructure Raised competition sent price signals to Telstra to reduce cost structures, enhance
productivity and achieve technical efficiency Price signals of profit potential further allocated resources into Services
communication industry, reducing opportunity cost Competition Policy Act : Framework for long-term
growth. Productivity commission estimates GDP raisedby 5.5%
Low inflationary with $AU 9 billion in consumer gains Structural change creates unemployment
Long run benefits of competition policy Lower cost structures as there is greater productive efficiency leading to lower
prices, lower cost-push inflation and greater international competitiveness Increased choice for consumers at lower prices leading to greater consumer
utility and therefore greater allocative efficiency, which improves livingstandards
More productive use of resources, freeing up for resource reallocationPublic Sector ReformHilmer Report 1973 recommendations of microeconomic reform in the form of
privatisation and corporisation Corporisation -
Public companies become profit driven
Privatisation Formerly government operated enterprises opened to natural,
unassisted, profit driven markets exchange of ownership Qantas (privatisation combined with two airline policy): Reduced cost structures to
remain competitive and enhance productivity Dynamic: Innovative product differential and encourage technological update e.g.
Airbus acquisition
Profit: 2008: $AU 618 million, Profit: 2009: $AU 210million
Low inflationary pressures Structural unemployment
Financial deregulation (not for structural change) 1985 RBA opened the baking sector releasing 16 new licenses
This increased competition and reduced the cost of finance, facilitating
innovative product differential in capital markets. Enhanced technicaland dynamic efficiency
Permitted investment led growth (cheaper, malleable loans) Floating the Australian dollar raised the competitiveness and
productivity of Australian exports: enhancing technical efficiency Improved exports enhance BOGS
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Labour Market The decentralization of the labour market through certified agreements. Accords in 1980s
Break wage price spiral through tying wage growth to productivity
gains
Eliminated wage indexation Through Workplace Relations Ac, collective agreements and AWAs were
standard wage agreements. Although, Rudds fairness with fairness policydisbanded the latter.
Certified agreements (enterprise bargaining): Collectively bargained at the enterprise level (usually through unions,
but not always) in relation to wage adjustments, working conditions,work practices and productivity gains
Awards: minimm standards of employment LMR has rewarded workers who seek to improve their skills via wage
increases Multi-skilled workers are more dynamically and technically efficient,
but also, multi-skilled workers can also move industries more readily,enhancing allocative efficiency
In this way patterns of production have been directed towards firms
with the greatest capacity to pay Low inflationary growth International competitiveness
Advantages and Disadvantages of Decentralised Wage Determination Advantages:
Increased flexibility more efficient allocation of labour
Increased productivity
greater incentive to increase skills trainingand education
Decreased likelihood of cost push inflation
Disadvantages
Market determines wage outcomes based on productivity and skills
increased wage and income inequality
Greater labour market segmentation those with greater bargaining
power have higher wages Fed government has no wage control
Environmental Regulation Carbon pollution reduction scheme
Garanaut report 2008 demanded immediate action Rudd proposed a carbon pollution reduction scheme. However, as of
yet delayed by liberals and greens Proposition: give property rights to carbon
Various enterprises given fixed permit number for pollution. Failing to
adhere requires payment of a fine Internalise the externality
If costs exceed price of new capital, may promote research and
development QP represents income reallocation to Government for research and
cleaning
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Business may pass on costs (inflation). Reduce real income or cut workers toremain competitive
Environmental regulation challenges Australias resource based growth Framework for the future
Labour Market Reform Labour is an input in the production process
Represent upwards of 60% of firms costs
Objectives Improve the operation of the labour market
Reduce unemployment Reduce cost-push inflation Raise productivity Responsive to changing economic conditions Flexibility and increases in international compettitivness
Achieved through Deregulation reducing the role of the AIRC De centralization moving power away from central government
bargaining to enterprise bargaining
Problems Prior to 1996 Inadequate differences in wages were not providing clear price signals
on the demand for particular skills, occupations and industries High minimum wages were contributing to high unemployment among
youth Unfair dismissal laws were harming the unemployed it was claimed
that they were discouraging employers from hiring new employees Lack of incentives for the unemployed and other welfare recipients to
seek employment The accords (MKI-VIII) 1983-1993
Broke the wage price spiral and wage indexation. Wage increases were matched to productivity increases.
Workplace Relations Act 1996 Introduction of Australian Work Place agreements (AWAs) and Certified
Agreements (CAs) Encouraged labour market flexibility and promoted workplace level
wage bargaining An industrial award system developed for workers unable to negotiate
enterprise agreements These reforms were designed to reduce unemployment and increase
labour market responsiveness to structural and cyclical shifts in theproduct market
Industrial Awards: Applies to workers not covered by enterprise bargaining
Legal documnet setting out the minimum wage and working conditions
for employees in an industry or job classification Centrally administered
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Awards were simplified so that only 20 allowable matters were
enforceable Annual safety net increase only
Benchmark against which employment contracts will be judged
Certified Agreements: An agreement collectively bargained at the enterprise level (usually
through unions, but not always in relation to wage adjustments,working conditions, work practices ad productivity gains
(Non wage benefits include superannuation, sick leave, holiday leave, long serviceleave etc.)
They exist in addition to the award and are renegotiated periodically
The AIRC certifies the agreements provided they satisfy a no
disadvantage test which requires that the agreement reached is at leastas favourable to workers as was the appropriate award
Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs): Individual employment contracts
Maximises the individual employees ability to create flexible working
conditions in a negotiated agreement with their employer. The agreement is reviewed by the Employment advocate to ensure that
it does not breach the no disadvantage test.
The Workplace Relations Amendment (work choices) Act 2005 Reforms:
Allowable matter
20 allowable matter reduced to 16 for awards and 45 for collective agreements andAWAs Unfair dismissal
Regulations on unfair dismissal will be significantly weakened Firms that employ 100 or fewer persons will be exempt from unfair dismissal claims Businesses employment more that 100 persons must wait 6 months before they can
pursue an unfair dismissal claim Union involvement:
Collective bargaining will be hampered by tough restrictions on unions over theirrights to enter workplaces and the right to strike
Reduction of third party scrutiny of individual contracts:
The no disadvantage test is removed and replaced by the Fair Pay and ConditionsStandard
This means that lodgment of the individual contracts (AWAs) with the office of theemployment advocate is allAssessment of Labour Market Policy
At the heart of the reforms decentralization improves labour market flexibility Wage increases are tied to productivity gains: greater flexibility in
wage outcomes Reward multi-skilling: dynamically efficient Underperforming workers pressured to improve But also, labour is allocated towards the capacity to pay, which offers a more optimal
allocation of resources about the economy
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Raised productivity reduced RULC (real unit labour costs): which makes enterprisemore technically efficient, but it also improves price stability
GDP (National Income)
Ultimately achieves low inflationary growth: indicated in figure 1 Productivity gains shifts aggregate supply to he right
New equilibrium: reduction in inflationary pressures whilst raising real
GDP Low inflationary growth
Benefits not purely domestic: international competitiveness raise
exports CAD improvements
Also though, productivity produces greater environmental
sustainability to current production methods As touched on earlier, productivity and real income are linked
Real income improves with productivity gains (also from growth
dividend) Increased average living standards
Greater employment opportunities (particularly for women, teenagers
and the unskilled) due to fewer restrictions Lower levels of industrial disputation that before the introduction of
enterprise bargaining through reduced union influence and defineddisputation periods.
It increased the labour market flexibility;Disadvantages Increaed income inequality especially for those not successful in obtaining an
enterprise agreement Possibility of employees and employers not having equal bargaining power
Loss of rights and erosion of minimum standards
Partly due to less union movement Very difficult to sustain a system that links productivity with wage gains Pattern bargaining potentially replaced true enterprise bargaining where one
certified agreement with one employed becomes the model of other certifiedagreements
Erosion of job security Increased causalisation of the workforce Multiple authorities in industrial relations: each IRCs/ industrial which
increase complexity
Wokplace relations Amendment (A stronger safety net) Bill 2006
Introduced Fairness Test and workplace ombudsman
A balance between decentralisation and right s protection
Forward with Fairness Policy andFair Work Act 2009 Disbanding AWAs
Re instated collective agreements and enterprise bargaining as theprimary wage determination mechanism
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Minimum standards increased from 5 to 10
Reduced exploitation of workers and promote equality Increased casualisation of workforce Reduced productivity and international competitiveness Wage increases may outstrip productivity gains. If firms are unable to absorb high
labour costs, they will be passed on consumer, causing inflation and a potential wage-price spiral
Fair work Australia ministers the certification of CAs applying the better off overalltest
Structural (skills shortage): Training 18000 nurses (2009 2013)
Apprenticeship subsidies in over 500 occupations (bridging school and
employment). Enhances allocative efficiency in moving workers to their best use
Frictional: Programs as the $4.9b Job Services Australia better connect job
seekers with opportunities e.g. writing resumes. Enhances dynamicefficiency and capacity to shift
Removing caps and waiting periods, job seekers can get into the right
training or get back into the workforce faster and employees can finthe staff they need.