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INDUSTRY NEWS
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MGA meets Minister for Small Business Stuart Robert On 18 January 2022, MGA, together with other industry leaders, met with Minister Stuart Robert. The meeting was to discuss how to regenerate and reinvigorate the small and family business sector in Australia coming out of COVID-19 restrictions in each state.
Minister Robert focussed on the small business critical supply chain (food and grocery) issues and reported saying the “the input you provided was extremely valuable and assisted in informing the Prime Minister, National Cabinet and the National Coordination Mechanism (which coordinates and facilitate nationally consistent approaches to non-health sector planning and response, consistent with medical advice) on addressing some of the immediate challenges the sector was (and still is) facing.” Members may have seen that MGA feedback was immediately adopted by the Prime Minister at his press conference on the 20 January, and many more discussions are being held across government as a result of our feedback.
needs of our industry sectors to secure provision of effective workforce solutions to this critical food and grocery sector. Discussion followed around where to source additional workers, including recruiting retired workers, upskilling younger workers to drive forklifts, engaging with the long term unemployed, people with disabilities and indigenous communities, as well as attracting youth. MGA highlighted the major issue was the need for staff and our members are desperate and that they do not have time to train people. MGA will continue to keep members informed of initiatives arising from these workforce shortage discussions.
Below: MGA has also met with the Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews to discuss various food supply and food security challenges owing to AdBlue (Diesel) and pallet shortages as well as severe worker absenteeism caused by COVID isolation and testing protocols. Discussions have been insightful and mindful of the needs of our members – family businesses located in the metro, regional, remote and ultra remote areas.
One of the key issues raised during the meeting was workforce demands on small businesses, especially temporary shortages, as key skilled workers are temporarily removed from the workforce as a result of COVID-19 or associated precautions. Minister Robert invited MGA to a meeting in late January, with a selection of job network providers and workforce department officials, to discuss the
Minister Home Affairs Karen Andrews Worker shortages.Jan 21
mga.asn.au | February 2022 | Edition 1
