Fraser Island to be renamed K’gari following indigenous-led campaign

Fraser Island is set to be renamed K’gari after the state government got behind a long-running campaign led by the traditional owners of the land. By Alex Druce NCA NewsWire/The Australian, September 20, 2021 Fraser Island has long been known as paradise, and now it’s official. The Queensland government is backing an Indigenous-led push to officially rename the area that covers …

OnLoop raises $US5.5m to replace performance reviews with a smartphone app

The OnLoop app. Source: Supplied. EXCLUSIVE David Swan Technology Editor The Australian, September 17, 2021 Software start-up OnLoop has raised $US5.5m ($7.5m) from investors including Australian venture capital outfit Square Peg, as it moves to bring fun to performance reviews, through its artificial intelligence platform and companion smartphone app. Co-founded by former Uber executive Projjal Ghatak, OnLoop has been in …

Retirees receive extra government help as Covid, interest rates hit

Seniors who don’t qualify for an age pension can still get assistance. Picture: iStock Anthony Keane Personal finance writer @keanemoney The Australian, September 19, 2021 Senior Australians are seeking government social security assistance in record numbers as Covid-19 and shrinking interest rates impact their incomes, new figures show. The number of Commonwealth Seniors Health Card recipients has jumped almost 9 …

‘Lines are being blurred’ by journalists on Instagram gravy train

Today show entertainment reporter Brooke Boney promoting a paid partnership with Andalou Naturals on her Instagram account. Picture: Instagram. Sophie Elsworth Media Writer @sophieelsworth James Madden Media Editor The Australian, September 19, 2021 The growing trend of high-profile journalists looking to exploit their fame for personal gain by promoting products and services on Instagram has raised concerns about potential conflicts …

For the tax office, telling the truth is important

For the tax office, telling the truth is important Robert Gottliebsen Inspector-General of Taxation Karen Payne researched how the ATO in part of the JobKeeper exercise ignored its own principles of being “fair and reasonable”. Picture: Stuart McEvoy.The Australian, September 20, 2021 Whether it is in government or private enterprise, very often a small event encapsulates a massive problem and …

Retailers want vaccine passport certainty before opening

Top of the list of concerns is how retail front line workers will determine whether shoppers have received both Covid-19 vaccinations, how to prove their vaccine status and the legalities around even asking for proof in the first place. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Steven Saphore Eli Greenblat Senior Business Reporter The Australian, September 19, 2021 The nation’s leading retailers, from fashion and …

Worker shortage causes rail headache

Inland Rail interim chief executive Rebecca Pickering said a tight labour market meant contractors could already ‘pick and choose’ projects. Picture: ARTC exclusive Max Maddison Journalist The Australian, September 19, 2021 An impending boom in rail projects could result in a sector shortage of 150,000 workers and lead to “substantial delays”, with industry analysts calling for a tailored skilled-migration program …

Covid forces new policies to address critical shortage of migrant workers

Bill Bulmer with seasonal worker Jacinta da Costa from East Timor on his farm near Bairnsdale in East Gippsland. Picture: Aaron Francis Helen Trinca The Deal Editor and Associate Editor Thee Australian, September 20, 2021 In almost 50 years of growing vegetables, Bill Bulmer has seen it all when it comes to who’s going to pick the lettuce and beans …

Will you really be able to travel overseas by Christmas?

Qantas has flagged it plans to start international flights from December 18. Few other airlines are planning for that. Fiona Carruthers, Lucas Baird and Mark Ludlow Financial Review, Sep 17, 2021 If you’re confused about whether it’s wise to book an international flight around Christmas time that you will have some hope of actually boarding, you’re not alone. Commiserations also …

Are four-day work weeks the way of the future or too good to be true?

Adrian Lowe The West Australian, 17 September 2021 5:14PM Sharon Burgess, chief executive of Artrage, is piloting a four-day work week trial. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian It sounds almost too good to be true: work four days a week and enjoy a three-day weekend and full-time pay. But that is now the reality for a growing number of people, …