Kids as young as 13 offered up to fill labour shortages

A controversial plan to fill worker shortage gaps with children as young as 13 has drawn a mixed response.

Children as young as 13 could be serving coffees and selling Christmas presents this year as part of a plan by the Australian Retailers Association to fill major holes in the workforce.

Australian Retailers Association (ARA) chief executive Paul Zahra is calling for an overhaul of inconsistent laws determining the age children can start work.

“Agreeing to a national framework on young workers would help mobilise a willing and able cohort of people to help address the staffing shortfall,” Mr Zahra said.

ARA chief executive Paul Zahra is calling for a national standard on the working age. Picture: David Swift

In NSW, there is no minimum age for part-time work.

In Victoria, the general minimum age for part-time or casual work is 15.

In Queensland, the minimum age for part-time work is generally 13, but under 16s need parental consent.

The ARA is suggesting children as young as 13 should be able to work, with regulations in place to ensure it doesn’t impact on their education.

“An ideal model would be one where we allow 13 to 15-year-olds to work, with sensible regulations in place around not working during school hours or at times that would impact a young person’s education,” Mr Zahra said.

Federal MP Anika Wells has told the Today show that working at 13 is “too young”.

The minimum age of work varies from 13 to 15 years old. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

“The key issue in this country certainly is in my patch,” Ms Well said of her electorate Lilley, northeast of Brisbane.

“It is a complex problem that needs a considered solution. We will have to pull all the levers.”

Earlier this week, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament that the state was struggling to fill job vacancies.

“Our economy now has more jobs than workers to fill them,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Tuesday.

The largest vacancies are in the retail industry where more than 40,000 workers are needed to fill shortages, according to the ARA.

Creating a national standard for the working age is not part of the government’s plan to fill labour shortages. Picture: David Swift / NCA NewsWire

Both the hospitality and retail industries are complaining that a shortage of migrant workers is creating a labour shortage ahead of the industries’ peak season.

Sydney Restaurant Group is offering a $5000 sign-on bonus across all of their venues to attract the hundreds of staff they need.

“We’re looking for chefs and cooks, kitchen hands and waiters and sommeliers, barmen, bar attendants – the whole spectrum,” owner Bill Drakopoulos told 9 News.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the government was not considering putting kids to work, instead pointing to the other end of the population as a more likely solution.

“There has been a lot of thought about the interaction between work at an older age and how the pension should operate and no doubt people will come forward with suggestions,” Mr Marles said.