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Rudd's options on health costs are alarmist and misleading By Ross Gittins Source: The Age Welcome to another year of media manipulation by our political leaders. Don't you love it? The Rudd Government is sitting on two major economic reports - from the Henry review on tax reform and Treasury's third intergenerational report - and some day soon it will let us see them. Meanwhile, it's leaking to journalists or dropping into speeches bits and pieces from them. In the week leading up to Australia Day, Kevin Rudd gave a series of speeches in each capital city purporting to outline the findings of the intergenerational report on the implications of our ageing population. His version was both debatable and - I think we'll find - quite misleading. More
Australia facing new skills shortage - report By Andrew Carswell Source: The Daily Telegraph A report says the country is again experiencing a shortage of builders, engineers and tradespeople. Report claims skills shortage is back Infrastructure workers in the most demand Ageing population adding to the problem THE country is again experiencing a national skills shortage, with builders, engineers and tradespeople in high demand, a report says. The research paper, launched today by leading recruitment company Clarius, will claim the surplus of skilled workers that formed during the global financial crisis has started to recede at an alarming pace, with 17 of the 20 skilled occupation categories experiencing a sharp drop in labour in the last three months of last year. Clarius' economists estimated there were now only 17,000 skilled professionals seeking employment in what they deem skilled occupation categories, down from the 45,000 estimated during the September quarter. "Of most concern is the underlying trend back to chronic skills shortages, which is moving the fastest among the building and engineering professionals and tradespeople who are so desperately needed to fulfil the nation's infrastructure agenda," Clarius chief operating officer Kym Quick said. Aside from the growth estimated this year, the re-emergence of Australia's skills shortage was being compounded by our ageing population. As skilled baby boomers reached retirement age, the nation would face the unparalleled loss of skills and experience, the group said. "The skilled labour shortage issue might have fallen off a cliff in March last year but it has dusted itself off in the last eight months and is now climbing back up the rock face faster than most recruitment experts would have predicted." According to the key findings, chef remained the occupation with the highest skills shortage, while skilled tradespersons, building professionals and engineers remained scarce. The shortage of skilled labour in the last three professions was confirmed by the Housing Industry Association last month. Its research team estimated the shortfall of skilled workers in residential construction was currently just under 60,000, and would blow out to almost 65,000 nationally by 2012. "The residential construction industry is almost certainly going to face a skills crunch," HIA's chief Shane Goodwin said. More
Fed govt urged to raise super guarantee By ALISON BELL AAP Source Sydney Morning Herald The superannuation industry's peak lobby group has repeated its call for the federal government to raise the compulsory superannuation contribution guarantee to 12 per cent if Australia is to avoid a $695 billion retirement savings gap. On the eve of the release of the government's third intergenerational report addressing issues about Australia's ageing population, the Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA) said Australia faces a disaster for retirement savings unless the contribution guarantee is raised. Independent research for IFSA conducted by actuaries Rice Warner and based on superannuation balances as at June 30, 2008, showed a retirement savings deficit of $695 billion between current funding and that needed to secure a comfortable standard of living in retirement. IFSA chief executive John Brogden said the lobby group's third report on the superannuation savings gap showed the deficit had grown from $452 billion in 2004 to $695 billion, or $73,000 per person. More
PM needs an election-year reshuffle By Arthur Sinodinos Source: The Australian KEVIN Rudd is banking on turning election year politics on its head in order to beat Tony Abbott. Election years are all about removing barnacles - troublesome issues - as soon as possible in order to focus on positive announcements to create benign voter sentiment in the run-up to the voting. It is not a year for huge shake-ups and reforms that affect and agitate significant constituencies. That is meant to have happened earlier in the term. But the logic of Rudd's recent speeches is that big changes are needed to get the nation into shape to cope with an ageing population, including nation-building investment, more saving and higher productivity growth. By taking the high road of policy, Rudd's tactic is presumably to paint Abbott as a short-term, populist opportunist. More
Cataract rebate backpedal Source: The Age A BATTLE over rebates for cataract surgery has been resolved by a backdown by the Federal Government before the resumption of Federal Parliament next week. Health Minister Nicola Roxon has abandoned an attempt to halve the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery, resolving instead to cut the payment by 12 per cent. A package announced yesterday includes a new $5 million plan over four years to improve eye health in regional areas. More
Park residents to have their say By SALLY FOY Source: Bay Post Permanent residents of shire tourist parks are being encouraged to attend a forum that will put the local industry under a microscope. The Affiliated Residential Park Residents Association (ARPRA) will host the forum at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on February 15. ARPRA NSW president Lesley Wakeling said it was “vitally” important for all residents to have their say. “In NSW alone there are 900 residential parks with an estimated 90,000 residents choosing this style of living,” she said. More

Rudd's options on health costs are alarmist and misleading

By Ross Gittins Source: The Age

Welcome to another year of media manipulation by our political leaders. Don't you love it? The Rudd Government is sitting on two major economic reports - from the Henry review on tax reform and Treasury's third intergenerational report - and some day soon it will let us see them. Meanwhile, it's leaking to journalists or dropping into speeches bits and pieces from them.

In the week leading up to Australia Day, Kevin Rudd gave a series of speeches in each capital city purporting to outline the findings of the intergenerational report on the implications of our ageing population. His version was both debatable and - I think we'll find - quite misleading.

By Andrew Carswell Source: The Daily Telegraph

A report says the country is again experiencing a shortage of builders, engineers and tradespeople.

Report claims skills shortage is back

Infrastructure workers in the most demand

Ageing population adding to the problem

THE country is again experiencing a national skills shortage, with builders, engineers and tradespeople in high demand, a report says.

The research paper, launched today by leading recruitment company Clarius, will claim the surplus of skilled workers that formed during the global financial crisis has started to recede at an alarming pace, with 17 of the 20 skilled occupation categories experiencing a sharp drop in labour in the last three months of last year.

Clarius' economists estimated there were now only 17,000 skilled professionals seeking employment in what they deem skilled occupation categories, down from the 45,000 estimated during the September quarter.

"Of most concern is the underlying trend back to chronic skills shortages, which is moving the fastest among the building and engineering professionals and tradespeople who are so desperately needed to fulfil the nation's infrastructure agenda," Clarius chief operating officer Kym Quick said.

As skilled baby boomers reached retirement age, the nation would face the unparalleled loss of skills and experience, the group said.

"The skilled labour shortage issue might have fallen off a cliff in March last year but it has dusted itself off in the last eight months and is now climbing back up the rock face faster than most recruitment experts would have predicted."

According to the key findings, chef remained the occupation with the highest skills shortage, while skilled tradespersons, building professionals and engineers remained scarce.

The shortage of skilled labour in the last three professions was confirmed by the Housing Industry Association last month.

Its research team estimated the shortfall of skilled workers in residential construction was currently just under 60,000, and would blow out to almost 65,000 nationally by 2012.

"The residential construction industry is almost certainly going to face a skills crunch," HIA's chief Shane Goodwin said.

By ALISON BELL AAP Source Sydney Morning Herald

The superannuation industry's peak lobby group has repeated its call for the federal government to raise the compulsory superannuation contribution guarantee to 12 per cent if Australia is to avoid a $695 billion retirement savings gap.

On the eve of the release of the government's third intergenerational report addressing issues about Australia's ageing population, the Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA) said Australia faces a disaster for retirement savings unless the contribution guarantee is raised.

Independent research for IFSA conducted by actuaries Rice Warner and based on superannuation balances as at June 30, 2008, showed a retirement savings deficit of $695 billion between current funding and that needed to secure a comfortable standard of living in retirement.

IFSA chief executive John Brogden said the lobby group's third report on the superannuation savings gap showed the deficit had grown from $452 billion in 2004 to $695 billion, or $73,000 per person.

PM needs an election-year reshuffle

By Arthur Sinodinos Source: The Australian

KEVIN Rudd is banking on turning election year politics on its head in order to beat Tony Abbott. Election years are all about removing barnacles - troublesome issues - as soon as possible in order to focus on positive announcements to create benign voter sentiment in the run-up to the voting. It is not a year for huge shake-ups and reforms that affect and agitate significant constituencies. That is meant to have happened earlier in the term. But the logic of Rudd's recent speeches is that big changes are needed to get the nation into shape to cope with an ageing population, including nation-building investment, more saving and higher productivity growth. By taking the high road of policy, Rudd's tactic is presumably to paint Abbott as a short-term, populist opportunist.

Cataract rebate backpedal

Source: The Age

A BATTLE over rebates for cataract surgery has been resolved by a backdown by the Federal Government before the resumption of Federal Parliament next week.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon has abandoned an attempt to halve the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery, resolving instead to cut the payment by 12 per cent.

A package announced yesterday includes a new $5 million plan over four years to improve eye health in regional areas.

Park residents to have their say

By SALLY FOY Source: Bay Post

Permanent residents of shire tourist parks are being encouraged to attend a forum that will put the local industry under a microscope.

The Affiliated Residential Park Residents Association (ARPRA) will host the forum at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on February 15.

ARPRA NSW president Lesley Wakeling said it was “vitally” important for all residents to have their say.

“In NSW alone there are 900 residential parks with an estimated 90,000 residents choosing this style of living,” she said.

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News

News

Rudd's options on health costs are alarmist and misleading

Australia facing new skills shortage - report

By Andrew Carswell Source: The Daily Telegraph

Report claims skills shortage is back Infrastructure workers in the most demand Ageing population adding to the problem

Fed govt urged to raise super guarantee

By ALISON BELL AAP Source Sydney Morning Herald

PM needs an election-year reshuffle

Cataract rebate backpedal

Park residents to have their say

Report claims skills shortage is back

Infrastructure workers in the most demand

Ageing population adding to the problem