Vaccine certificates for international travel ‘ready within weeks’

Covid committee chair, Labor senator Katy Gallagher, in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Olivia Caisley Reporter The Australian, September 30, 2021 New proof-of-vaccine technology allowing Australians to travel overseas will be ready within weeks, a Senate committee scrutinising the commonwealth’s response to the pandemic has heard, as the Morrison government prepares to announce a plan for the country’s borders to reopen. …

Agriculture visa to tackle farm workers shortages launches

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud. Picture: Gary Ramage EXCLUSIVE Adeshola Ore Reporter The Australian, September 30, 2021 Australian farmers could be sourcing foreign workers under the agriculture visa from November after the program entered into force on Thursday. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is yet to finalise bilateral agreements with other nations for the scheme, but initial deals could …

Where religious discrimination Bill falls short

MARK FOWLER Freedom of religion is an important part of the Religious Discrimination BillThe Australian, September 25, 2021 Attorney-General Michaelia Cash’s decision to bring a ­religious discrimination Bill to parliament by the end of the year has refocused minds on issues not ventilated since the pandemic outbreak. The approximately 7000 submissions on the two prior versions of the Bill trace …

Flight Centre preparing legal challenge to Covid-19 state border closures

Flight Centre boss Graham Turner has warned of legal action over states’ border closure policies. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen EXCLUSIVE Richard Ferguson Reporter The Australian, September 30, 2021 Tourism giant Flight Centre is prepared to mount a legal challenge against internal border closures if Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia do not reveal “reasonable” plans to rejoin the nation in coming weeks, …

Union lashes ABC for ‘serious cultural problem’ of underpaying staff

Miranda WardMedia writer Financial Review, Sep 30, 2021 The Community and Public Sector Union has lashed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for underpayment of staff, accusing the public broadcaster of having a “serious cultural problem” and urging it to “rein in the bad management practices”. The ABC has announced it found current and former employees who were engaged on a buyout …

Wage subsidies to be available for second and third year apprentices from October

Eloise Keating SmartCompany, September 30, 2021 The federal government will expand its apprenticeship wages subsidies program to cover apprentices in their second and third years. Announced by Small Business Minister Stuart Robert earlier this week, the new Completing Apprenticeship Commencements program will represent a $716 million addition to the existing Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program, which was first announced in the …

Businesses safe to deny the unvaccinated: lawyers

Finbar O’MallonReporter Financial Review, Sep 29, 2021 Employees will be protected if they refuse to work with or serve unvaccinated people and businesses would have a right to turn back anyone who has not had a coronavirus vaccine, the managing partner of a major law firm says. Clyde and Co managing partner Michael Tooma says public health orders will be …

‘Hidden debt’ on China’s Belt and Road tops $530b, says new study

Edward White Financial Review, Sep 29, 2021 Seoul | China’s Belt and Road Initiative has left scores of lower- and middle-income countries saddled with “hidden debts” totalling $US385 billion ($531 billion). New research suggests that many countries’ financial liabilities linked to President Xi Jinping’s hallmark foreign policy initiative have been systematically under-reported for years. This has resulted in mounting “hidden …

Changes proposed for class action rules to stop greedy lawyers cashing in

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says litigation funders and lawyers are often getting the lion’s share of compensation money awarded to class action members. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Melissa Iaria Reporter NCA NewsWire/The Australian, September 30, 2021 Class action rules will be changed to stop greedy litigation funders taking the lion’s share of compensation wins. Courts will have greater oversight …