Labor:
Labor’s parental leave policy remains exactly the same as it was before the election – the primary carer will receive 18 weeks of pay at the national minimum wage. Superannuation is not included.
The only difference? Small business gets some reprieve – companies with fewer than 20 employees will no longer have to administer the payments. Instead, they’ll be completed through the government.
Coalition:
The Coalition’s parental leave system is more expensive, but ultimately more generous. Parents will receive 26 weeks at their own pay rate, along with superannuation.
However, unlike Labor, the Coalition won’t make businesses of any size act as paymasters. Instead, every payment will be made through the government.
Labor:
Labor hasn’t said much about industrial relations during the election, and that’s mostly because it feels the Fair Work system is working quite well. As such, there won’t be many changes if it wins government.
However, the government has said it will continue to implement changes recommended by last year’s Fair Work Review.
Coalition:
The Coalition has said it will keep the Fair Work system in place, although there will be some changes. Unions will have fewer right-of-entry allowances, while the Australian Building and Construction Commission will be reinstated fully.
Individual Flexibility Agreements will also receive some changes, with the Coalition set to widen conditions under which IFAs can be negotiated.
There will be some other changes including creating an appeal division within Fair Work, allowing the Fair Work Ombudsman to consult small businesses as well as employees, and only allowing the FWC to hear bullying claims after they have been investigated by other groups.
Labor:
Education has played a big part in this year’s election campaign.
Labor has proposed a $15 billion education model to be introduced from 2014, $2.5 billion for new trade training centres, along with schoolkids bonus payments of $420 for primary students and $820 for secondary students.
A new Step into Skills program has already been announced to help disadvantaged youths, to be funded through TAFEs.
Coalition:
A huge part of the Coalition’s plan is a new HECS-style apprenticeship support scheme, which will cost $80 million. Apprentices can borrow $20,000 under the scheme for tools and equipment, to be distributed across four years. Finishing the training triggers a discount.
Other education policies include creating an infrastructure fund for schools when the budget is back in surplus, along with commissioning the Productivity Commission to conduct a review of the child care system.
Labor:
A significant portion of the government’s manufacturing policy has focused on cars, and there’s little wonder why – the closure of Ford plants in Victoria has struck a massive blow to the industry.
Labor has already promised a further $500 million until 2020, and $300 million a year beyond that. Kevin Rudd went so far to call this election a “referendum on the future of the car industry”.
Labor has promised some more policies, including a mandate on companies with projects worth more than $2 billion to include Australian businesses – but most of the manufacturing focus has been squarely placed on the car industry.
Coalition:
The Coalition has been far less interested in doing business with the car industry. However, there isn’t much else in there.
Exporters will welcome $50 million in grants, and $50 million for transitional assistance for areas moving out of manufacturing.
There is some movement on the big business front, with the Coalition promising to reverse cuts to R&D grants for larger businesses.
Labor:
The government’s policy on digital is exactly where it’s been the past few years – the National Broadband Network.
Throughout the election, Labor has stayed consistent with its message to deliver the NBN. While the project has certainly fallen behind schedule, it’s still essentially the same package that has been promised for years with no changes.
Coalition:
The Coalition changed its policy on the NBN earlier this year. Instead of simply stopping the project in its tracks, the NBN under the Coalition would continue – but with one major change.
The Coalition NBN will no longer be fibre-to-the-home. Instead, it will be fibre-to-the-node, with copper connections to each home. Individuals can connect their homes to the node with fibre, but it will cost them – to the tune of several thousand dollars.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
