In this paper we look at the way in which the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) derives gross flows data from successive Labour Force Surveys. The procedure used by the ABS is described and a measure of the ‘matching rate’ obtained. We develop a simple theoretical model designed to...

We explore a new approach to understanding the evolution of the unemployment rate in Australia. Specifically, we use gross worker flows data to study the consequences of assuming that there is no unique equilibrium rate of unemployment but rather a continuum of stochastic equilibrium rates which...

Cyclical asymmetry has been recognized as a non-linear phenomenon in recent studies examining unemployment rate time series. The probabilistic structure of such time series is different during economic upswings and downswings. So, with forecasting unemployment rates in mind, it seems intuitive...

This paper addresses five related questions. What are the ‘stylised facts’ about the behaviour of flows into and out of unemployment and the Unemployment Rate in Australia, especially in recessions? Why does the number of persons flowing out of Unemployment rise in recessions? How does...

It is well accepted that a highly educated and well trained labour force is a precondition for sustained economic growth and development, and that the labour market outcomes for individuals are enhanced with higher levels of education and training. Recognition of these facts has influenced the...

This paper examines the impact of macroeconomic conditions on the education and employment outcomes of youths in school-to-work transition. The dataset is based on five cohorts from the Youth in Transition surveys (YIT) and the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) and covers the...

It is commonplace in Australian policy debate for groups presumed to be adversely affected by proposed policies to provide estimates of the undesirable consequences of change. A highly public example of the above is the claim by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), based on work done in 2009...

Debate over regulation of dismissals has been intense in recent years, and renewed in the lead-up to the 2012 review of the operation of the Fair Work Act. This paper reviews the economically relevant aspects of the legislative changes from the Workplace Relations Act which operated from...

We explore the determinants of the relative probabilities of labour force participation for British and Spanish married (or cohabiting) mothers. We further decompose these probabilities and find a substantial cross-national gap in participation rates that can be predominantly explained by higher...

We consider differences in individual job tenure between Australia and Britain using linked data on employees and their workplaces. This linkage enables us to distinguish between the impact of demographic, education, job characteristics, occupation and work environment for the individual, as...