Labour force figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show that employment is now 246,600 jobs above the level recorded in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Employment increased by 64,800 jobs in December, to stand at a record high of 13,242,000. The unemployment rate also declined, from 4.6 per cent in November, to 4.2 per cent in December. This is the lowest unemployment rate recorded since August 2008 and well below the 5.3 per cent of March 2020.

Two Anti-Viral COVID-19 Treatments Approved 
The Therapeutic Goods Administration announced, this week, provisional approval of the first oral treatments for COVID-19 in Australia. Lagevrio and Paxlovid are oral anti-viral treatments that have been found to be effective in treating people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who have a high risk of progressing to severe disease, reducing admissions to hospital and ICU, and potential death. The Government has secured access to 300,000 treatment courses of Lagevrio and 500,000 courses of Paxlovid for supply throughout the course of 2022, with the first deliveries of both medicines anticipated over the coming weeks. 

Supporting Student and Working Holiday Maker Visa Holders
A series of new visa measures will provide an incentive for fully vaccinated Student and Working Holiday Maker visa holders to return to Australia as soon as possible, in an effort to address current workforce shortages caused by COVID-19. Working Holiday Maker visa holders who are currently offshore and come to Australia during the next 12 weeks will be eligible for a refund of their Visa Application Charge. The Government has also temporarily extended the removal of the limit on Student visa holder working hours across all sectors of the economy. In addition, effective immediately and until the end of 2022, there will be no limit on the length of time Working Holiday Makers can work for the same employer. 

Hydrogen industry marks milestone with first shipment of liquid hydrogen to Japan 
Australia is exporting the world’s first shipment of liquefied hydrogen, heralding the start of a major new energy export industry. Australian-made hydrogen will be shipped from Victoria to Japan following the arrival of the Suiso Frontier carrier in Victoria as part of the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain pilot project, with the specially-built carrier ready to load super-cooled liquid hydrogen for transit to Japan. This world-first project will make Australia a global leader, eventually producing up to 225,000 tonnes of clean hydrogen each year in the Latrobe Valley - enough to fill the tanks of around 45 million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. A successful Australian hydrogen industry means lower emissions, greater energy production and more local jobs. 

Backing Women in STEM 
The Government is offering grants of up to $1 million while also supporting new scholarships to support women and girls to secure science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs. Round four of the Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship program opened this week with $13 million available to strengthen and expand projects that assist in removing barriers to STEM for women and girls. In addition, The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering has been awarded $41.2 million to offer up to 500 university scholarships for women to work with industry and bolster their STEM qualifications.