“We’ve deliberately chosen to put this jobs and skills summit on as soon as possible before the October budget that will be handed down,because there may be steps proposed and agreed at the summit which could be implemented quickly,without wanting to preempt that,” Chalmers said.
“We’ve chosen the timing deliberately ... it is possible that if there is common ground and agreement found at the summit,if we can move quickly,we will.”
Chalmers said the summit was “about picking the brains of people from all around Australia ... to make sure that we have all of the ideas on the table so that we can all succeed together.”
Loading
“The government changed hands at a time of high and rising inflation,falling real wages,and labour shortages,and all of the challenges that come with that,and so we owe it to the Australian people to try and find that common ground so that we can solve these challenges,” he said.
With Australia’s skill shortage looming close to 500,000 jobs,Albanese said temporary migration for short-term skill demands “will continue to play a role”. However,he said Australia needed to become an attractive destination for skilled workers to settle in a global labour market.
“We need to acknowledge that we need to make sure that we have better pathways as well to a permanent presence in Australia for people who can give us the skills that we need,” Albanese said.