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Michelle Rowland
ALBANESE GOVERNMENT UPSKILLING THE NATION Job summit meets challenges
MICHELLE ROWLAND
AUSTRALIANS want their government to focus on building a better future, creating more secure jobs so they can pay the bills, support their family and save for the future.
There are a lot of challenges facing our nation right now, including skills shortages, barriers to work, flatlining productivity, the gender pay gap, and weak wages growth. These challenges hold our country and our economy back.
It’s time to change that.
That’s why the Albanese Government recently held the Jobs and Skills Summit - an opportunity for businesses, workers, unions, stakeholders and government to come together and drive the change and progress Australia needs.
It was an opportunity to collaborate and generate the best ideas to increase productivity, address the skills shortage in the country, among a range of other objectives.
On the first day of the Summit, the Albanese Government announced that National Cabinet, made up of Premiers and Chief Ministers from each state and territory, agreed to deliver an additional 180,000 fee-free TAFE places next year to help skill Australians and tackle the skills crisis.
On the second day of the Summit, we announced our move to increase Australia's permanent migration cap from 160,000 to 195,000 as well as the decision to invest more resources in visa processing.
These are decisions that will help to stimulate our nation’s economy, upskill the nation, and get more workers into good, secure jobs.
As the Minister for Communications, I hosted a creative economy roundtable where we discussed how we can maximise opportunities in the sector and deliver a high-quality
labour force in Australia’s creative industries.
The Jobs and Skills Summit is an important first step on this journey towards greater economic prosperity.
Once we have gathered the responses of the Summit, I will keep the Greenway community updated with our next steps. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office.
Together, we’ll create a better future for all.
Michelle Rowland is Minister for Communications and Federal Member for Greenway.
