Jobs and Skills Summit 2022: All the names revealed

The landmark jobs and skills summit kicks off on Thursday and there are some big names on the guest list. Here’s everything you need to know.

The Albanese government’s landmark Jobs and Skills Summit will kick off on Thursday.

Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers will lead the two-day event will bring together business, unions, industry and leaders to discuss the workforce crisis plaguing the country and the economic challenges.

More than 140 representatives will attend the event as they nut out key reforms to boost Australia’s productivity.

Liberal MPs are refusing to attend the summit, claiming it a ‘talkfest’, but Nationals leader David Littleproud will be present.

Why is the summit being held?

Labor went to the election promising to hold an jobs summit that would inform a comprehensive report on “full employment”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will lead the two-day event. Picture: Gary Ramage

To the government, full employment means fewer people unemployed, secure jobs with sufficient hours, eliminating discrimination, increasing the number of women, mature workers, people with a disability and First Nations people in work.

The summit will inform the report, which aims to “plot a path” to reduce unemployment and underemployment, and keep both low.

Labor says challenges were present before the pandemic hit and education, training and childcare can contribute to improvements.

What is being discussed?

Day one will address issues including how to maintain full employment, pay for women, the future of enterprise bargaining, future skill needs, how to develop existing industries and opportunities in clean energy and tacking climate change.

Day two will focus on migration and how it should be used to cover skills gaps, workplace discrimination and boosting workforce participation.

Is it going to achieve anything?

The summit will recommend immediate actions and opportunities for medium and long-term reforms.

These will help address skills shortages, improve migration settings and ensure women have equal opportunities and pay.

It will inform an employment white paper, which will focus on keeping unemployment low, boosting productivity and incomes.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says challenges with jobs existed before the pandemic. Picture: Gary Ramage

The paper will also look at sustainable wages growth, secure well-paid jobs, and expanding employment opportunities for all Australians – including the most disadvantaged.

Opportunities to maximise jobs in the renewable energy sector, digital and care economies, as well as building more things in Australia will be included.

People will make submissions and the public will be consulted over the next 12 months.

What are the sticking points?

• Visas, the migration cap number, and pathways to permanent residency.

• Allowing older Australians to work more without losing their pension to fill shortages.

• The enterprise bargaining system, which most agree is a broken and does not deliver wage growth.

• Multi-employer bargaining proposal

• The ‘better off overall test, also known as the BOOT test.

• Gender pay gap.

• Training and apprenticeships

I don’t know much about industrial relations, please explain

• Enterprise bargaining involves an employer, employees and their bargaining representatives negotiating on an enterprise agreement. The service-based industry and an increase in small businesses has led to a drop in these deals. Unions claim companies that want to pay their workers above the award are being undercut by contractors that win jobs because they are paying workers less. Some groups say the BOOT test has created red tape and made the negotiations more complicated

• Unions are pushing for a shift to multi-employer bargaining, which could involve a whole industry – not just a single employer – striking a deal. They say it will help increase wages. Small business is also supporting the calls but the Business Council of Australia and industry have expressed concerns. The Liberals claim it didn’t work in the 1970s and won’t now.

• The BOOT test ensures the terms in an enterprise agreement do not leave workers worse off under the agreement than the relevant award. Unions want the legal test simplified, while the Greens are concerned the test will be weakened. Employer groups also want reforms to the test, which the Liberals have revealed it may be open to supporting. Labor says it is open-minded about the BOOT becoming more flexible. This is despite rejecting reforms to the test in the Morrison government’s omnibus bill last term.

• The gender pay gap is the difference between the average earnings of men and women men in the workforce. Everyone agrees more needs to be done to close the gender pay gap. But proposals go beyond talks about wages and take in workplace culture, the need to increase women’s participation, and access to affordable early childhood education.

Who is on the guest list

1. Dylan Alcott – Australian of the Year

2. Mohammad Al-Khafaji – Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia

3. Daniel Andrews – Victorian Premier

4. Luke Anear – SafetyCulture

5. Julia Angrisano – Finance Sector Union

6 John Azarias – The Lysicrates Foundation

7. Cr Anne Baker – Isaac Regional Council

8. Brad Banducci – Woolworths

Dylan Alcott is among the list of 140 people who will attend. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images for TLA

9. Dr Alison Barnes – National Tertiary Education Union

10. Andrew Barr MLA – Australian Capital Territory chief minister

11. Karen Batt – Community and Public Sector Union

12. Dale Beasley – SA Unions

13. Debby Blakey – HESTA Super Fund

14. Anna Bligh AC – Australian Banking Association

15. Professor Jeff Borland – University of Melbourne

16. Poul Bottern – National Australian Apprenticeship Association

17. Alexi Boyd – Council of Small Business Organisations Australia

18. Saviour Buhagiar – Uniting NSW/ACT

19. Annie Butler – Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation

20. Simon Butt – Master Builders Australia

21. Christy Cain – Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union

22. Steven Cain – Coles

24. Debra Cerasa – Jobs Australia

25. Professor Sara Charlesworth – RMIT University

26. Scott Charlton – Transurban

27. Melinda Cilento – Committee for Economic Development of Australia

28. Michael Clifford – Queensland Council of Unions

29. Scott Connolly – Australian Council of Trade Unions

30. Tania Constable – Minerals Council of Australia

31. Christine Cooper – Independent Education Union

32. Professor Allan Dale – Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia

33. Helen Dalley-Fisher – Equality Rights Alliance

34. Jon Davies – Australian Constructors Association

35. Emma Dawson – Per Capita

36. Robyn Denholm – Tech Council of Australia

37. Georgie Dent – The Parenthood

38. Mark Diamond – Rail, Tram and Bus Union

39. Jenny Dodd – TAFE Directors Australia

40. Lin Hatfield Dodds – Benevolent Society

41. Melissa Donnelly – Community and Public Sector Union

42. Professor Alan Duncan – Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre

43. Adrian Dwyer – Infrastructure Partnerships Australia

44. Gerard Dwyer – Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees‘ Association

45. Ben Eade – Manufacturing Australia

46. Brent Eastwood – JBS Foods

47. Terese Edwards – National Council of Single Mothers & their Children

48. Sam Elsom – Sea Forest

49. Scott Farquhar – Atlassian

50. Stephen Ferguson – Australian Hotels Association

51. Dr Cathy Foley – Office of the Chief Scientist

52. Steve Fordham – Blackrock Industries

53. Dr Andrew Forrest – Fortescue Metals Group, The Minderoo Foundation

54. Professor Anthony Forsyth – RMIT University

55. Andrew Fraser – Griffith University

56. Natasha Fyles – Northern Territory chief minister

57. Pat Garcia – Catholic Health Australia

58. Professor Ross Garnaut – University of Melbourne and Zen Energy

59. Dr Ben Gauntlett – Australian Human Rights Commission

60. Professor Sue Gordon – Flinders University

61. John Grimes – Smart Energy Council

62. Correna Haythorpe – Australian Education Union

63. Mike Henry – BHP

64. Luke Hilakari – Victorian Trades Hall Council

65. Leanne Ho – Economic Justice Australia

66. Carolyn Hodge – People with Disability Australia

67. Christine Holgate – Toll Group Express

68. Dr Joanna Howe – University of Adelaide

69. Catriona Jackson – Universities Australia

70. Kate Jenkins – Australian Human Rights Commission

71. Fiona Jose – Cape York Institute/Cape York Partnerships

72. Matt Journeaux – Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union

73. Alan Joyce AC – Qantas Group

74. Michael Kaine – Transport Workers Union

75. Tal Karp – The Y Australia

76. Tim Kennedy – United Workers Union

77. Alison Kitchen – KPMG

78. Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer – Australian Council of Trade Unions

79. Megan Lilly – Australian Industry Group

80. Catherine Livingstone – expert

Australian businessman Andrew Forrest will also be at the summit. Picture: Brook Mitchell

81. Jenny Macaffer – Adult Learning Australia

82. Edwina MacDonald – Australian Council of Social Service

83. Erin Madeley – Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance

84. Peter Malinauskas – South Australian Premier

85. Professor Shelley Mallett – Brotherhood of St Laurence

86. Jill McCabe – Professionals Australia

87. Professor John McCallum – National Seniors Australia

88. Professor Shae McCrystal – University of Sydney

89. Samantha McCulloch – APPEA

90. Mark McGowan – Western Australian Premier

91. Andrew McKellar – Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

92. Sally McManus – Australian Council of Trade Unions

93. Sarah McNamara – Australian Energy Council

94. Wayne Miller – Ceduna Aboriginal Corporation

95. Carmel Monaghan – Ramsay Health Care

96. Mark Morey – Unions NSW

97. Sam Mostyn – Chief Executive Women

98. John Mullen – Telstra

99. Jessica Munday – Unions Tasmania

100. Steve Murphy – Australian Manufacturing Workers‘ Union

101. Christine Nixon – Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

102. Liam O’Brien – Australian Council of Trade Unions

103. Michele O’Neil – Australian Council of Trade Unions

104. Teri O’Toole – Flight Attendants Association of Australia

105. Kelly O’Shanassy – Australian Conservation Foundation

106. Margy Osmond – Tourism & Transport Forum

107. Samantha Page – Early Childhood Australia

108. Annastacia Palaszczuk – Queensland Premier

109. Kellie Parker – Rio Tinto

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra will also attend.

110. Dominic Perrottet – NSW Premier

111. Yasmin Poole – Youth advocate

112. Robert Potter – Australian Services Union

113. Anthony Pratt – Visy

114. Mina Radhakrishnan – Different

115. Tim Reed – Business Council of Australia

116. Jade Ritchie – Unions NT

117. Dr Abul Rizvi – expert

118. Jeremy Rockliff – Tasmanian Premier

119. Luke Rycken – Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

120. Paul Schroder – AustralianSuper

121. Cr Linda Scott – Australian Local Government Association

122. Rob Scott – Wesfarmers

123. Tom Seymour – PricewaterhouseCoopers

124. Alex Simpson – Westcoast Renewable Energy

125. Fiona Simson – National Farmers‘ Federation

126. Sally Sinclair – National Employment Services Association

127. Carolyn Smith – Unions WA

128. Professor John Spoehr – Flinders University, Factory of the Future

129. Jodie Taylor – Supply Nation

130. Kane Thornton – Clean Energy Council

131. Kasey Tomkins – Unions ACT

132. Pat Turner – Coalition of Peaks

133. Ainslie van Onselen – Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

134. Daniel Walton – Australian Workers‘ Union

135. Kate West – Arup

136. Jennifer Westacott – Business Council of Australia

137. Lloyd Williams – Health Services Union

138. Troy Williams – Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia

139. Innes Willox – Australian Industry Group

140. Danielle Wood – The Grattan Institute

141. Michael Wright – Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union

142. Micky Wunungmurra – Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation

143. Paul Zahra – Australian Retailers Association

Originally published as Jobs and Skills Summit 2022: All the names revealed