ALP ‘primed to act’ after jobs and skills summit

Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers will, after the September jobs summit, fast-track policy changes to lift productivity, boost wages, improve job security and address skills shortages.

Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tracey Nearmy

Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers will take immediate ­action on “consensus” agreements reached between unions and employers at September’s Jobs and Skills Summit to fast-track policy changes to lift productivity, boost wages, improve job security and address skills shortages.

The Treasurer told The Weekend Australian that he hoped the 100-plus summit participants could work co-operatively and with an open mind to achieve “consensus on some of the ways forward” on the critical policy challenges facing the nation.

With Australians facing the highest inflation numbers in 30 years and the ongoing economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister and Dr Chalmers have positioned the skills summit as a key part of their economic recovery plan for the country. 

The summit will comprise ­employers and business groups (30 per cent); employees and ­unions (30 per cent); subject matter experts and representatives from community, education, employment and social services sectors (30 per cent); and state, territory and local government (10 per cent).

The Albanese government expects several policy decisions will be taken immediately as a result of the summit – a month before the October budget – while some issues will be identified for further examination and later action.

The summit will inform an employment white paper being prepared by a Treasury taskforce that will also invite public submissions and input via roundtable discussions throughout Australia.

“Bringing people together isn’t just the reason for the summit, it’s the reason for the Albanese government,” Dr Chalmers said.

“People have had a gutful after a decade of too much conflict and division.

“We aren’t naive about unanimity, but we think there’s a genuine appetite for something different, drawing on the best collaborative instincts of the Australian people.

“Our economy faces some of the most complex challenges in our history, and labour market and living standards are at the core of what we’re confronting.”

Agreements made at the summit, to be held on September 1-2, in the Great Hall at Parliament House will be announced at its conclusion.

The government will release a new intergenerational report in the second half of next year.

Currently produced every five years, with the last in 2021, the new report will include revised productivity growth assumptions and an assessment of long-term fiscal challenges.

Peter Dutton or his representative will be formally invited to attend the summit, and discussions are being held with crossbench MPs about how to best facilitate their involvement.

“We want to encourage a productive conversation that will help us get to the bottom of these issues,” Dr Chalmers said. 

“Not everyone will see eye-to-eye, and that’s OK, but if we can get a consensus on some of the ways forward on some of our most important challenges, the summit will be a success.

“We will extend to the Leader of the Opposition and members of the crossbench a genuine invitation to attend in good faith.

“We are serious about bringing people together, and putting our common interests ahead of our political interests.”

Seven other ministers will co-ordinate the work of the summit: Katy Gallagher on women’s ­labour market experiences; Tony Burke on job security and wages; Clare O’Neil on migration; Amanda Rishworth on workforce participation and barriers to employment; Brendan O’Connor on skills and training; and Ed Husic and Chris Bowen on industry, ­energy and climate change.

The soon-to-be-released issues paper for the summit will provide an assessment of the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers, structured around the themes of boosting job security and real wages; lifting participation and reducing barriers to employment; delivering a high-quality labour force through skills, education and migration; and maximising opportunities in the industries of the future.

“While our unemployment rate is at historic lows, access to job opportunities remains unequal, wages growth is weak and our labour market is struggling to respond quickly to acute skills shortages,” Dr Chalmers said.

“Of course there’s a wide variety of views on jobs and skills, but the divisions in our country don’t run nearly as deep as some would like to think.”

The Treasurer has asked his department to establish a special taskforce to run the summit and complete the white paper in about a year.

While the summit will have immediate actions, other issues will need more work and these will shape the terms of reference for the white paper.

Dr Chalmers revealed to The Weekend Australian before the May election that he would like to improve Treasury’s monitoring, implementation and evaluation of policies and measures to track wellbeing.