Bronwyn Herbert

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Bronwyn Herbert

One of Australia's largest cotton-farming operations is facing prosecution over the death of a farm worker, and is under investigation for the death of a second worker in an unrelated incident. SafeWork NSW has commenced prosecution following the December 2022 death of a 28-year-old man, who was fatally injured when the backhoe he was operating slid more than 2 metres into a culvert and landed on its side. According to SafeWork, the worker was ejected from the machine and pinned under the cabin.

Mar 3, 2025 | abc.net.au | Bronwyn Herbert

If you're a full-time retail worker how does a four-day work week sound? The catch is you'd have to sacrifice overtime on the days you work. Retailers are pushing for that, as the regulator the Fair Work Commission reviews the general retail award which covers more than a million workers, mostly women in low paid jobs.

Mar 3, 2025 | abc.net.au | Bronwyn Herbert

More retail workers are taking up the option to work a four-day week. Ikea and Bunnings have offered the option to their staff. The Australian Retailer's Association has requested the Fair Work Commission include the option of a four-day week for all retail workers. Compressing a full-time work week into four days was a no-brainer for retail worker Ruth Tan. The Perth mother-of-three is no stranger to early starts, so starting work at 5am to check Ikea warehouse stock didn't trouble her.

Jan 30, 2025 | abc.net.au | Bronwyn Herbert

UK citizens applying for working holiday-maker visas are no longer required to complete 88 days of regional work. The National Farmers' Federation says it does not want the exemption extended to other countries, fearing it will further reduce the workforce. A record number of working holiday-makers flooded Australia in 2024, with 206,187 visa holders in December — up almost 40,000 from the year before. The visa changes correlate with a sharp increase in the number of British arrivals.

Dec 8, 2024 | abc.net.au | Bronwyn Herbert

A new report produced by social services advocacy group ACOSS has found a concerning rising trend in the number of long-term unemployed Australians. Sixty percent of recipients are now on unemployment payments for more than a year, over half have disability or health conditions and a third are aged over 55.