AGP Executive Report

Jobs Outlook: Australia’s unemployment rate has climbed to 4.7%, a five-year high, as employment fell in September and the Reserve Bank sees the labour market softening faster than expected. Workplace Rights: Hundreds of thousands of workers are set to gain a legal right to request working from home, while a new report says pregnancy and parental discrimination remain widespread, including alleged sham redundancies. Workplace Privacy: Calls are growing for stronger privacy protections as employers use AI to track staff. Job Cuts and Hiring: Deloitte plans to cut 170 roles as it reshapes its outsourcing business, while BHP is cutting about 300 Pilbara jobs; Deloitte says it is also recruiting more than 500 people in areas including technology, data and cybersecurity.

Workplace health: Nine in 10 Australian workers in pain keep working, and half say they cannot afford time off. New research also questions whether workers are being blamed for low productivity when the way it is measured may be at fault. Jobs outlook: September unemployment hit 4.7%, a near five-year high, after employment fell by almost 40,000. The RBA says the labour market is softening faster than forecast, easing pressure for another rate rise. Hiring and cuts: Deloitte is cutting 170 roles while recruiting more than 500 in outsourcing. BHP plans to cut about 300 Pilbara jobs, while Whyalla Steelworks faces around 500 redundancies. Migrant workers: The Human Rights Law Centre warns tougher visa enforcement could drive exploited workers further underground and deter reports of wage theft and coercion. Workplace rights: The Fair Work Commission has ordered remote work be allowed for an older employee.

Jobs Market: Unemployment hit 4.7% in September, its highest level in nearly five years, after employment fell by 39,300 — a sharp reversal of expectations. Workplace Health: A national survey found 89% of workers with work-related pain kept working when they felt they should rest; nearly half said they couldn’t afford to lose income. Pregnancy Discrimination: More than 100 women told Four Corners they faced workplace discrimination after pregnancy or having children, including denied flexibility, lost promotions and redundancy. Climate at Work: While 97% of surveyed workers said big companies should tackle climate change, just 14% believe their employer is making good progress. Cyber Careers: ANZ, Griffith University and Google Cloud’s Brisbane hackathon offers students hands-on cybercrime experience, with winners eligible for ANZ internships.

Jobs Outlook: Employment fell by 39,300 in September and unemployment held at a five-year high of 4.7%, easing pressure for another RBA rate rise. Part-time jobs dropped sharply. Workforce Shifts: Deloitte is cutting about 170 Australian roles while moving work to an outsourcing division hiring more than 500; BHP plans to cut 300 Pilbara jobs. Youth Hiring: With youth unemployment at 11.1%, new platform Knack promises feedback to applicants who miss out. Workplace Pressures: A survey found 89% of workers with job-related pain kept working when they felt they should rest, often because they could not afford lost income. Skills and Access: Australia has published 456 occupations eligible for Core Skills visas, while the Fair Work Commission has ordered remote work for an older employee.

Jobs Outlook: The IMF projects Australia will have the developed world’s biggest rise in unemployment, from 4.4% this year to 4.7% in 2027, putting about 100,000 jobs at risk. Skilled Migration: Australia has published 456 occupations eligible for Core Skills visas, offering employers and applicants a clearer guide to skilled-worker pathways. Mining Jobs: BHP plans to cut 300 Pilbara iron ore roles as the sector faces pressure to reduce costs. Workplace Rights: The Fair Work Commission has ordered an employer to allow an older worker to work remotely. AI and Work: Microsoft’s Brad Smith says AI’s effect on the jobs market could take 25 years to play out, underscoring the need for long-term workforce planning.

Mining Jobs: BHP plans to cut about 300 roles across its Pilbara iron ore operations, as Australia’s unemployment rate reaches 4.7%, its highest since 2021. AI and Skills: Microsoft president Brad Smith says AI’s full impact on jobs could take 25 years to unfold, urging governments and employers to prepare workers with relevant skills. Agriculture Workforce: Queensland farmers warn tighter access to Working Holiday Maker visas is worsening seasonal labour shortages and threatening production. Workplace Relations: Sydney Airport security staff walked off the job in a dispute over pay and conditions, disrupting travel.

Workplace Rights: The Fair Work Commission has ordered remote work to be allowed for an older employee, highlighting flexibility as a live issue for employers. Aviation Jobs: Jetstar is opening a Perth cabin-crew base and backing aviation training in WA. Labour Market: Australia’s unemployment rate rose to 4.7% in September, its highest in five years, after nearly 40,000 jobs were lost; youth unemployment also hit a five-year high. Jobs and Industry: BHP plans to cut about 300 Pilbara roles, while a planned Pilgangoora lithium expansion could create 1,500 jobs in WA.

Workplace AI: Experts are urging stronger safeguards as Amazon’s surveillance tools track employee relations concerns, including at a Melbourne facility. The warning: AI can be used to discipline workers, not just improve efficiency. Jobs Picture: September employment fell sharply and unemployment reached 4.7%, its highest level since 2021, easing expectations of another near-term rate rise. Cuts and Pay: BHP plans to cut about 300 jobs in Western Australia, while around 250 Whyalla Steelworks workers have accepted redundancies; administrators also say payroll changes caused underpayments and unpaid super, now being addressed.

Jobs Slump: Australia’s September unemployment rate climbed to 4.7%, its highest in five years, as employment fell by nearly 40,000. The weaker figures have cooled expectations of another Reserve Bank rate rise. Uneven Outlook: Western Australia is bucking the trend, with unemployment at 4.2% and job ads improving, while Victoria remains above 5%. Job Cuts: BHP plans to cut about 300 roles in WA, while Cue and Veronika Maine are closing 26 stores. Jobseeker Pressure: People out of work are finding it harder to get back into employment, with three in four JobSeeker recipients at risk of poverty.

Jobs Outlook: Australian employment fell by 39,300 in September, with part-time roles down sharply even as full-time jobs rose. Unemployment held at a five-year high of 4.7%, while youth unemployment climbed to 11.1%. The softer figures have cooled expectations of another Reserve Bank rate rise, but point to growing pressure on jobseekers. HR Watch: Employers are cutting casual shifts and hours first, lifting underemployment. With long jobless spells making callbacks harder, recruiters should assess candidates’ skills rather than screen them out for gaps in their work history. Workforce Cuts: BHP plans to cut 300 roles across its WA iron ore operations, citing business changes, and says it will seek redeployment where possible.

University Restructures: An NSW parliamentary inquiry has questioned universities’ explanations for widespread job cuts. A former Wollongong professor says he could not properly challenge the financial model used to declare his role unviable. Jobs Outlook: Unemployment is rising as economic growth falters, while BHP plans to cut 300 roles at its iron ore operations and Treasury Wine Estates is shedding 170 jobs. Pay and AI: The federal government has offered public servants a 9% pay rise over three years, but their union wants 15%. Commonwealth Bank has agreed to 13% pay rises and an AI committee amid reports of 1,000 job cuts.

Mining redundancies: BHP plans to cut 300 jobs across its Pilbara iron-ore mines, citing falling prices and rising costs; the company says it will look for redeployment options. AI and jobs: Commonwealth Bank has declined to guarantee roles as it cuts 1,000 workers, sharpening questions about AI’s impact on employment. Pay talks: The federal government has offered public servants a 9% pay rise over three years, while their union is seeking 15%. Economic outlook: The IMF warns Australia faces rising unemployment alongside weak growth and persistent inflation; Deloitte expects joblessness to peak at 4.9% in 2027–28. Other cuts and disputes: Treasury Wine Estates plans to shed 170 roles, while Brisbane university workers have walked out amid disputes over pay and secure employment. Australia’s latest jobs data is due tomorrow, with unemployment at 4.6% in August.

Jobs Outlook: The IMF warns Australia faces slower growth and rising unemployment, while AI could narrow entry-level pathways for young workers. Workplace Health: Nearly a quarter of regional workers say their mental health is worse than at any point in their working lives; heavy workloads are a leading concern, and about 703,000 are considering leaving their jobs. Gender Equity: Women won just 13% of new CEO appointments at Australia’s largest listed companies this year, down from 25% in 2025. Pay and AI: Commonwealth Bank staff secured 13% pay rises and an AI committee, while the APSC has offered public servants a 9% increase over three years. Fair Work Commission findings also point to fairer pay for female care workers. Childcare Jobs: Edge Early Learning’s collapse has forced 11 centres to close across Queensland, South Australia and the ACT.

Regional Workforce: Nearly one in three regional workers—about 703,000—are considering leaving within a year, citing heavy workloads, financial stress and limited access to mental-health support. Pay & Bargaining: Commonwealth public servants are pushing back against a 9% pay offer over three years, while CBA staff secured 13% rises and an AI committee after a workplace stand-off. Early Learning: Eleven Queensland centres will close after Edge Early Learning failed to find buyers, though 53 others have been sold to new operators. Flexible Leadership: Most employers offer flexible hours or part-time work, but just 13.2% design management roles for part-time schedules, potentially narrowing women’s path to senior jobs. Jobs Outlook: The IMF warns Australia faces rising unemployment and persistent inflation; Westpac is also cutting more than 100 roles in a restructure. Care Sector: The government has committed $630 million to help organisations fund gender-equality-driven pay rises for care workers.

Care Sector Pay: The government will provide $630 million to help more than 460,000 care workers receive award-related pay rises, while supporting charities and not-for-profits to maintain services. Workplace Safety: Regional emergency workers face elevated mental health risks, with workers describing bullying, heavy workloads and limited access to confidential support. Job Cuts: Westpac plans to cut more than 100 roles in a Catalyst restructure, while Treasury Wine Estates has announced 170 job losses. Pay and Prices: Wage growth slowed in September, and Commonwealth Bank says pay rises are failing to keep pace with inflation, putting pressure on workers’ real incomes. Seasonal Labour: Employers are calling for action on worker shortages ahead of the busy season, with a working-holiday-maker roundtable planned in Canberra. AI and Jobs: A study of 57,134 Australian job ads found fewer than one in 20 entry-level roles involve AI, offering a measured picture of the technology’s current impact on early-career work.

Workforce Cuts: Westpac plans to shed 102 jobs through its Catalyst restructure, the Finance Sector Union says, despite earlier assurances the program would not cut roles. Pay Pressure: Commonwealth Bank data puts wage growth at 3.3%, below 4% inflation, meaning pay packets are losing ground. Upcoming employment figures could also influence the Reserve Bank’s rate decisions. Public-Sector Tensions: Anger over eroding Australian Public Service conditions is building ahead of a pay offer, while staff at three Brisbane universities have held a joint stoppage. Skills and Staffing: Employers in key sectors are calling for a working-holiday-maker roundtable ahead of the busy season, while a training provider says apprenticeships should be valued alongside degrees. Income Support: Three in four people in households relying on JobSeeker are living in poverty, highlighting the hardship facing many Australians out of work.