The jobs and skills summit, which concluded on Friday, has been a highly-managed exercise by the Albanese government in maximising policy and political productivity.
Australia hasn’t tried hard enough to deliver full employment. We are well-placed, if we play to our natural strengths – including having the best solar and wind resources in the developed world.
One crucial element of the regional jobs discussion is the need for a redefinition of ‘work’, to include community responsibilities, care and caring for land and Country.
Many of the 2.5 million Australian retirees on the age pension would like to work, but only a fraction do – partly because it can mean losing some of their pension.
Dan Andrews, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Adam Triggs, Australian National University, and Gianni La Cava, Macquarie University
We have fewer workers changing jobs and fewer new firms than we used to.
Australia’s economic state in 1983 was very different from today: Bob Hawke wanted to lower expectations of government; Anthony Albanese is trying to raise them, even just a little.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the biggest outcome he wants from this week’s jobs and skills summit “is the beginning of a new culture of co-operation”
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Among the top economists surveyed was the man who designed Australia’s higher education loans scheme – who described funding for vocational education as a “mess”.