Archived publication for January 2004 in Occasional Paper
Recent publications

A Casual Discussion: Happy being casual

The campaign to curb the growth of casual employment currently being waged in some sections of the labour movement relies on shaky evidence. Unions claim that casual employees suffer from greater insecurity and economic stress due to irregular...

A Casual Discussion: Casual alternative wrongly demonized

OCCASIONAL PAPER | Ken Phillips

The proposals to give casuals holiday and other entitlements, reflects a long held view that any work that is not full time and not permanent is somehow illegitimate. This is a view that ignores simple mathematics, appears out of step with...

A Casual Discussion: The need to redefine casual employment

OCCASIONAL PAPER | Richard Marles

In the brave new world of work in Australia, the biggest concern for working people is security or more accurately the lack of it. Gone are the days of a job for life in one company. People are working for shorter periods with more employers....

A Casual Discussion: Decasualisation for long-term casuals

OCCASIONAL PAPER | Jonathan Hamberger

There has been a growing concern at the number of casual employees in Australia. According to ABS figures about 27 per cent of workers are now employed as casuals. Explanations for the growth in casual employment are relatively easy to find....

A Casual Discussion: High casual rate stifles productivity

OCCASIONAL PAPER | Craig Emerson

Around the world it is understood that the modern sources of productivity growth are skills and new ideas. The Productivity Commission has concluded there was no discernible acceleration in Australian workforce skills during the 1990s, with skills...

A Casual Discussion: Casual Employment in 2004

OCCASIONAL PAPER | Peter Anderson

The world of work has changed significantly over the past generation. Employment regulation needs to be flexible to allow businesses to respond to clients, consumers and competitors. Employees are more skilled, more mobile, and one size does not...