In this policy update, we highlight important reports and initiatives that were announced in January and February 2026 that influence the Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism, Hospitality and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sectors, as well as the broader economic landscape.

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Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner – NSW Night-time Economy Insights – September Quarter 2025

On 22 December, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner released the NSW Night-time Economy Insights – September Quarter 2025 report, providing an update on the state’s evolving night-time economy. The report draws on data from the Data After Dark platform.

Overall, the September quarter showed mixed results. Night-time mobility and participation declined, while in-person spending remained relatively resilient.

Key findings include:

• Night-time public transport recorded 35.7 million Opal tap-offs, a 1.6% year-on-year decline, partly impacted by extreme weather during the quarter.
• NSW recorded 318 million night-time movement trips, down 5.4% from the previous quarter and 5.9% compared with the same period last year.
• Night-time in-person spending rose to $3.69 billion, 0.1% higher than the September quarter last year, and 1.7% higher than the June quarter.
• GST-active businesses in the food, drink and leisure sectors continued to fall in the September quarter, declining by 128 businesses (0.3%) from the June quarter.
• Over the year, there was a net loss of 870 businesses (-1.7%).
• Hospitality-focused sectors accounted for most of the decline, highlighting the sector’s sensitivity to shifting consumer conditions.

Access the full Insights Report here.

Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner – State of the Night Report

On 29 December, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner released its inaugural State of the Night Report, examining the performance of the NSW night-time economy and how broader economic trends are shaping growth, diversification and participation.

Of particular relevance to SaCSA, the report highlights several key characteristics of the night-time workforce:

• The workforce is more casualised than the broader NSW workforce, reflecting the shift-based nature of night-time industries and the limited availability of full-time roles.
• Men are more represented in hospitality and services, while women account for the majority of roles in retail and healthcare.
• Gen Z contributes almost 70% of retail and hospitality hours, reflecting their strong presence in casual and entry-level positions.
• Millennials account for 26–27% of hours and are more likely to work longer shifts, consistent with higher representation in supervisory and managerial roles.
• Seasonal peaks, particularly during summer and holiday periods, place significant pressure on staffing capacity.

Access the full report here.

THRIVE 2030 – Action Plan to 2030

On 12 February, Austrade released the THRIVE 2030 Action Plan, outlining the Government’s ambition for a tourism industry that delivers world-leading services and experiences while generating well-paid jobs and benefits across Australia, including in First Nations, regional and rural communities.

Of particular relevance to SaCSA, the Action Plan focuses on supporting businesses to modernise, build resilience and strengthen workforce capability by:

• Strengthening employment pathways and career progression through the VET system, including support for students and apprentices via Australian Apprenticeship Support Services and Fee-Free TAFE, targeted research by JSCs into visitor economy occupation shortages, and exploration of a more connected tertiary system and improved labour mobility.
• Streamlining migration settings to better target temporary skilled migration, tailor regional visa pathways and reshape permanent skilled migration to support tourism workforce needs and productivity growth.
• Enhancing disaster preparedness to build industry resilience.
• Encouraging tourism businesses to modernise operations, improve digital capability and adopt emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Access the full Action Plan here.

NSW Small Business Commissioner – Small Business Momentum Survey – January 2026

On 12 February, the NSW Small Business Commissioner released the Small Business Momentum Survey – January 2026. The survey shows that small business confidence stabilised between December 2025 and January 2026, remaining unchanged at 28%.

While confidence has steadied, it remains subdued amid challenging trading conditions, with no clear signs of a sustained recovery.

Key findings include:

• 86% of businesses are concerned about rising input costs.
• 33% plan to grow, alter or expand operations.
• Of those planning to expand, 50% intend to hire additional staff.
• 15% expect profitability to increase, compared with 36% who expect a decline.
• 19% expect revenue to increase, compared with 28% who expect a decline.
• 18% report confidence in their local economy.
• Non-employing businesses reported slightly higher confidence in their own prospects than employing businesses (30% compared with 27%).

Access the full report here.

JSA – Australian Labour Market for Migrants – January 2026

On 30 January, JSA released the Australian Labour Market for Migrants – January 2026 report. The report provides an overview of current labour market conditions to inform recent migrants, prospective visa applicants and organisations supporting migrant communities.

The findings indicate that while the Australian economy and labour market remain resilient, there are signs of further softening in conditions.

Key insights include:

• Employment growth varied significantly across industries over the 12 months to November 2025.
• The largest increases in trend employment were recorded in Health Care and Social Assistance; Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and Education and Training.
• The largest employment declines occurred in Wholesale Trade; Manufacturing and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.
• The strongest rates of employment growth were in Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services (up 9.5%), Other Services (5.1%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (4.9%).

Access the report here.

JSA — Vacancy Report — January 2026

On 18 February, JSA released its Vacancy Report for January 2026. This monthly data series measures online job advertisements lodged on the SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia job boards.

Key highlights from the January report include:

• Job advertisements increased by 3.6% nationally in January. This continues the recent pattern of minor monthly variation and may indicate a slowing of the medium-term downward trend observed from June 2022 to early 2025.

• Advertisement levels remain elevated, with around 30% more job ads currently in the labour market compared with the 2019 monthly average.

• Over the year to January 2026, online job advertisements decreased by 0.9%. Despite this, volumes remain high by historical standards.

• Recruitment activity increased across seven states and territories over the month.

• Advertisements increased across all Skill Level groups in January.

• Advertisements also increased across all Major Occupation groups over the month.

• Recruitment activity remains concentrated in metropolitan Australia, with 69.1% of job advertisements located in capital cities.

The report also includes a Spotlight on Northern Australia.

Access the full report here.

NCVER – Government-funded students and courses – January to September 2025 

On 2 February, the NCVER released its report Government-funded Students and Courses – January to September 2025, providing an overview of activity in Australia’s government-funded VET system.

Key findings include:

• 1,027,380 students undertook government-funded training between January and September 2025.
• This represents a decrease of 72,225 students (6.6%) compared with the same period in 2024.
• Student numbers declined across all states and territories, except South Australia (up 4%) and Western Australia (up 1.6%).

Access the full report here.

We encourage our stakeholders to delve deeper into these reports and strategies to understand their potential impact and leverage them in planning and decision-making. As always, we remain committed to supporting a vibrant and sustainable workforce across all industries.

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Author: Shane Kocass, Policy Officer at SaCSA, analyses government policies, fosters meaningful engagement with government stakeholders, and assists in navigating the complex policy landscape to drive impactful outcomes.