Microsoft has proposed voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 staff across Canada, India, the UK and the US. Executive vice president Amy Coleman framed this as an opportunity for eligible employees to transition out of the company with support. The move follows recent cuts to 4,800 roles and restructuring in the Xbox division. This initiative aligns with broader tech sector adjustments as AI investment drives up costs. Microsoft's global workforce stood at 223,000 as of June 30.
Microsoft has said it will offer voluntary buyouts to eligible employees in select parts of the company. CNBC reports the offer will reach about 60,000 staff, roughly a quarter of the global workforce. The company describes it as a chance for employees already considering moving on from Microsoft. The offer extends to qualifying staff in the United States, India, Canada and the United Kingdom. It follows a voluntary retirement package offered in April and Xbox layoffs in July, with about 30 percent of eligible staff accepting the earlier offer.
Australia's population is ageing, and children make up a smaller share of it. People aged 65 and over now make up 18 per cent of Australians. Birth rates have fallen to 1.48 babies per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Fewer workers means fewer taxpayers, while more older people need care. Experts say there are no quick fixes, and that the country needs serious structural reform to share the burden fairly.
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A Noosa butcher, Steve Young, will stop serving walk-in customers in the coming weeks and close his retail shopfront because he cannot staff it. The shop has two butchers, where it would normally have four, plus two counter staff. Mr Young says he has spent about $15,000 on advertising in 18 months, yet many applicants do not attend interviews. Other Queensland butchers have closed recently, and some firms are recruiting from overseas. Mr Young says no workers will lose their jobs and that his wholesale business will continue.
Premier Coal will move its Collie mine to day shifts only, a change the Western Australian government says it is disappointed by. Unions say the move could cut about 40 per cent of the workforce, or around 150 jobs. Management has handed out forms for voluntary redundancies. The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union says redundancy payments will be calculated at day shift rates, removing the night shift component. An energy analyst says the change should not cause power blackouts in the state.
Opposition and crossbench MLAs have questioned the ACT Government's Thriving Kids program, launched on 1 October for children up to eight with developmental delays. They want figures on how many children are receiving support, waiting times and staffing levels. Canberra Liberals MLA Peter Cain said the government had offered broad statements without detail. Disability Minister Suzanne Orr said the program is being introduced in stages, with full implementation due on 1 January 2028, and that further reporting will follow.
Uber and OpenAI have expanded their partnership, with Uber giving its entire global workforce of about 30,000 people access to ChatGPT Work. The tool was first piloted with 1,000 employees earlier this year, and most early adopters were non-engineers. Uber says staff used it to analyse operational data, localise training materials and build dashboards. The company has not settled on exactly how employees will use it, and it did not disclose the cost of the rollout. Uber plans to track usage and use the results to guide its wider use of AI.
NSW Parliament has passed laws creating the Future Jobs and Investment Authority to support coal-producing regions, including the Hunter, Central West and North West. The work is backed by $29.7 million in ongoing funding and more than $170 million under a new fund. Local Divisions in each region will include workers, industry, councils and community representatives. The government has also secured 400 jobs at the Mount Pleasant coal mine, with MACH Energy agreeing to a Jobs Guarantee until 2032. New rules will require mine operators to give notice of closures and plan support for workers.
Victoria will launch an electrical apprenticeship program to train 2,000 apprentices over four years. The SEC Apprenticeship Academy will partner with NECA Education & Careers and the Electrical Trades Union. A pilot program will offer 40 apprenticeships, with expressions of interest opening soon. The government says the program will help meet rising demand for electricians in Victoria's energy sector, which is projected to grow to 68,000 workers by 2040.
The Hunter Jobs Alliance has welcomed a NSW law that establishes a dedicated public authority to diversify the economy of the state's four coal regions. The Future Jobs and Investment Authority Bill 2025 passed both houses of the NSW Parliament on October 20. The law also requires coal mine owners to develop workforce transition plans for workers affected by mine closures. The alliance is now seeking regulations with minimum standards for those plans, along with at least $150 million a year for the Future Jobs and Investment Fund. It wants these measures in place before the March 2027 election.
The WA State Government has launched a recruitment pathway to help newly qualified Aboriginal nurses and midwives gain places in transition-to-practice programs. The Aboriginal Application Pathway gives eligible applicants a fixed-term annual contract as an entry-level registered nurse or midwife, with support towards permanent work. Applicants receive one-on-one help, a six-month application period and access to a cultural support partner. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the program will strengthen a culturally responsive health workforce. Applications close on 1 February 2027.
Up to 150 First Nations psychology students will receive support to finish their studies and build careers in mental health, backed by an $8.3 million federal investment. The program is delivered by the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health. Students will receive financial help, mentoring and professional development. Support is open to First Nations students in undergraduate or postgraduate psychology courses at accredited Australian universities, with a focus on regional communities. Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said the aim is to strengthen culturally informed mental health care.
National Australia Bank has announced plans to cut 2500 roles, about six per cent of its workforce, over the full financial year. The bank said 1500 jobs will go before the end of 2026. Finance Sector Union national assistant secretary Nicole McPherson said the timing was poor, with many staff already under heavy workloads. Bank chief executive Andrew Irvine said the changes aim to improve efficiency and would not directly affect customer-facing positions. Union officials have asked whether artificial intelligence is behind the cuts, and the bank has not yet answered.
National Australia Bank has announced it will cut up to 2,500 jobs, about 6 per cent of its workforce, by mid-2027, with up to 1,500 roles going before the end of this year. The bank also plans to reduce its use of consultants and external contractors. It has flagged a restructuring charge of about $300 million, pre-tax. The Finance Sector Union called the timing disgraceful, while an academic said the bank should explain the role of artificial intelligence in the cuts. NAB chief executive Andrew Irvine said customer-facing banking roles would not be materially affected.
National Australia Bank has announced plans to reduce its workforce by as many as 2,500 positions, equal to roughly 6 per cent of its staff, with the cuts due to take effect by mid-2027. The announcement weighed on the bank's share price during the session. Separately, trading in NextDC, a local data centre operator, has been halted pending an announcement that appears connected to a disagreement over power poles in a suburban Melbourne street. The day's business coverage includes further market commentary from specialist reporters.
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Aged care providers and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia want a dedicated essential skills visa for care workers. They say overseas workers are central to the sector as the population ages. Ageing Australia says 51 per cent of the residential aged care workforce was born overseas. A regional Orange centre reports that 104 of its 179 staff are from Nepal. Major parties have proposed competing cuts to net overseas migration, and the Coalition says aged care would remain a priority workforce.
Horsham Rural City Council says the Victorian Government's approval of the Warracknabeal Energy Park shows the need for investment in infrastructure and services across the Wimmera. The proposed wind project in Yarriambiack Shire would include up to 219 turbines and new transmission links to the Murra Warra terminal station. Mayor Brian Klowss said housing, workforce and roads are already under pressure and will be strained further by several major projects. The developer estimates four to five years of construction, powering about 1.2 million Victorian homes once complete.
Queensland's target of one million homes in 20 years is running behind the 50,000 a year needed. Only 34,627 homes were completed last financial year, though 52,500 were under construction in the June quarter. The Premier warns federal tax changes may slow the sector, and Master Builders says the state is about 20,000 tradespeople short. At Banyo, a 6.4-hectare former Energex site will include 207 townhouses, 64 affordable housing units and an aged care facility. Resident Kim Weston opposes the density, citing inadequate infrastructure. Housing Minister Sam O'Connor says the land has long been earmarked for housing.
AI company Anthropic says its workforce has shifted in the past year, with fewer junior hires in technical teams. The share of junior technical hires fell from 27% to 9%, and technical teams now make up 56% of staff, down from 61%. Employees report that managing AI tools has become a large part of their work. Meeting time per employee is up 20% on a year ago, which the company links to the value it places on face-to-face coordination.
