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The Australian Workers’ Union has hailed the deal to save the Tomago aluminium smelter as a monumental victory for Australia’s manufacturing, energy transition, and sovereign capability. The joint federal and state agreement – underwritten by long-term power purchase arrangements with Snowy Hydro – ends months of uncertainty for workers, suppliers, and the Hunter. Tomago directly employs more than 1,000 workers in highly skilled, secure jobs and supports up to 5,000 additional jobs across the regional supply chain. AWU National Secretary Paul Farrow praised both governments for stepping up with a practical solution. “This is a watershed moment for Australian manufacturing,” Mr Farrow said. “Tomago was the ultimate test case for whether Australia is serious about remaining a nation that actually makes things. “Allowing Tomago to fail would have consigned Australia to being a country that simply digs up raw bauxite, ships it overseas for processing, and buys back finished aluminium at a premium. That’s a recipe for a poor, insecure nation. “Aluminium is one of the fundamental...

August 16, 2026 — 7:30pmSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.AAAExtremely early starts on frigid days, crawling in roof cavities, and bad-tempered dogs – according to the hundreds of Day in My Life videos that populate the internet, these are common realities in the workplace for Australia’s electricians.Despite the hazards (which also include risk of electrocution or severe burns from live wires, breathing in toxic building materials, and falls from dangerous heights), being an electrician has never been more popular.Electrical apprentice Kaitlyn McMahon at BlueScope Steel, Australia’s largest crude steel production plant.Wolter PeetersGovernment datasets analysed by KPMG show that after a stable period of about 150,000 sparkies nationwide, the number of electricians across the country exploded to 184,000 in 2025.This is playing out locally – more than 11,000 apprentices were enrolled at TAFE NSW to become electricians last year, an increase of 4.5 per cent since 2021.“The number of electrical...

August 16, 2026 — 7:30pmSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.AAAExtremely early starts on frigid days, crawling in roof cavities, and bad-tempered dogs – according to the hundreds of Day in My Life videos that populate the internet, these are common realities in the workplace for Australia’s electricians.Despite the hazards (which also include risk of electrocution or severe burns from live wires, breathing in toxic building materials, and falls from dangerous heights), being an electrician has never been more popular.Electrical apprentice Kaitlyn McMahon at BlueScope Steel, Australia’s largest crude steel production plant.Wolter PeetersGovernment datasets analysed by KPMG show that after a stable period of about 150,000 sparkies nationwide, the number of electricians across the country exploded to 184,000 in 2025.This is playing out locally – more than 11,000 apprentices were enrolled at TAFE NSW to become electricians last year, an increase of 4.5 per cent since 2021.“The number of electrical...

The Australian Digital subscription 12 Month Plan costs $338 (min. cost) for the first 12 months, charged as $26 every 4 weeks. This automatically renews after the first 12 months to be charged as $26 (min. cost) every 4 weeks. Renewals occur unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions. No cancellations during the first 12 months. Each payment, once made, is non-refundable, subject to law. Not in conjunction with any other offer. New customers only. Prices after the first 12 months may be varied as per full Terms and Conditions. See www.theaustralian.com.au/subscriptionterms for full details. Source link...

Is the Burnham bounce about to fizzle out? This morning has seen the first shaky set of economic figures since his ascension to Mayor of Great Britain. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 13,000 jobs disappearing in July, following a fall of 13,000 in June too. In total, just under 100,000 jobs have been lost in the last year and 188,000 have gone since the election. Even more worrying in today’s release, though, is the headline unemployment figure of 4.9 per cent. Though flat, many economists had expected it to plunge. They predicted that because the figure is made up of an average of the previous three months and a large reading in March was due to drop out today, almost certainly sending the headline rate down. Instead, the most recent single-month rate surged to 5.4 per cent – its highest reading since October 2020. Just under 100,000 jobs have been lost in the last year and 188,000...

Workers have been given a reason to be optimistic about the artificial intelligence revolution: the technology won't result in a loss of jobs.Former International Monetary Fund economist Chris Richardson delivered a hopeful message to attendees at the National AI Forum in Canberra on Wednesday."Jobs exist to solve problems... if AI is going to take away some jobs, it's sure as hell not going to take away problems," he told the forum."There will never be a lack of problems, and on that basis, there will never be a lack of jobs."This opportunity is the largest I have seen in my life ... we need to run at it with speed."Economist Chris Richardson told a national AI forum technology could not replace problem solving. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)It was a similar sentiment from other industry leaders, including billionaire Sir Richard Branson and former Labor leader Bill Shorten.But it also came with a warning.Future jobs will be obstructed if Australians are not AI-educated, the...

Reserve Bank of Australia deputy governor Andrew Hauser has warned the central bank will not hesitate to raise interest rates if key inflation risks materialise, as the government acknowledged rising costs were eating into wage gains.Speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday, Hauser warned the ongoing war in Iran, mammoth investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and stagnant productivity growth in Australia were key risks for higher inflation.Loading... Source link...

Updated August 20, 2026 — 11:06am,first published August 20, 2026 — 8:00amSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.AAAKPMG chief executive John Sams has confirmed the embattled firm has begun talks with senior partners who will be cut as part of a staff cull next week due to the whistleblower scandal, but he declined to respond to reports that as many as 500 employees would be targeted.“I have been clear in recent communications with partners and our people that we are undertaking a process to review our cost base and workforce to ensure the firm is sustainable and well positioned for the future,” he told partners in an email on Wednesday evening.KPMG Australia CEO John Sams sent an email about cuts to staff on Wednesday night.Alex Ellinghausen“Conversations have commenced this week with impacted partners. No decisions have been made about staff roles at this point but, as I have said in...

Employment dropped by 15,800 against expectations for a 12,000 increase, while weaker labour force data pushed the Australian dollar and bond yields lower. Australia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in July as employment fell, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) labour force data. Employment declined by 15,800 people over the month, compared with market expectations for a rise of 12,000, while the number of unemployed people increased by 4,000. The unemployment rate had been expected to remain unchanged at 4.4%. ABS head of labour statistics Sean Crick said the majority of the decline in employment came from males. “In July, we recorded a 16,000 person fall in employment, whilst the number of unemployed people rose by 4,000,” Crick said. “The majority of the fall in employment came from males, which fell by 11,000 people. There were 10,000 fewer males employed part-time, and 1,000 fewer in full-time employment in July.” Female employment fell by 5,000, with part-time employment down 22,000 but full-time employment...