The Budget-in-reply speech sets out Labor’s priorities to prepare the future workforce and modernise infrastructure. A comprehensive productivity agenda must also be a priority.
Australia needs stable and competitive tax settings, timely project approvals and efficient regulations, including practical and constructive workplace relations rules.
Additional funding for skills, education, child care, aged care and infrastructure is only possible because of the export revenue generated, taxes paid and jobs supported by the mining industry.
The focus on training in tonight’s Budget-in-reply speech would deepen Australia’s skills base, supporting the workforce of today and tomorrow.
Labor’s policy of fully subsidising 465,000 TAFE places will enable the skilling, upskilling and reskilling required to support the economic transformation to net zero.
The allocation of 20,000 additional university places must target the acute shortages of mining engineers, metallurgists, electrical engineers, geotechnical engineers and geologists.
The Opposition’s skills agenda will help deliver Australian mining jobs, which are highly skilled, highly paid and secure.
Australian mining pays the highest average wages ($144,000 a year, compared to $94,000 across all industries) and the vast majority of mining workers are full-time (96 per cent) and permanent (88 per cent).
Labor’s ambition to lift sovereign capability through the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund will invest in resources and ensure a greater share of Australia’s raw materials are processed here.
Accessible and affordable child care helps families and supports greater economic participation of women in the workforce. This is critical given current labour and skills shortages.
