Updates from ATO, National Retail Association, and more

Jobs and skills in focus at infrastructure, transport and regional roundtables

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King is today meeting with industry, unions, local government and peak body groups and other stakeholders for a roundtable on jobs and skills in the nation’s regions.

This is the first of four roundtables the Minister is hosting, with meetings later in the month occurring with the infrastructure, aviation and surface transport sectors.

Cost of living crunch changing holiday spending outlook

Retailers are wary the forecasted drop in spending for Father’s Day is indicative of a low-spend Christmas period as consumers tighten their wallets amid inflationary pressures.

National Retail Association Chief Executive Dominique Lamb said consumer spending during this season is vital to strengthen the economy.

Digital skills drought hanging Aussie business out to dry

Australian businesses have been bruised by the global skills shortage with demand for digital talent outstripping local companies’ ability to hire and train staff.

Ahead of the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, CPA Australia’s new Business Technology Survey 2022 has revealed one in three Australian businesses consider the skills shortage to be a major barrier to their digital transformation.

“Business which fail to attract staff with digital skills are statistically more likely to be underperformers,” CPA Australia General Manager Media and Content Dr Jane Rennie said.

Roundtables to discuss jobs, skills challenges

The Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon. Ed Husic MP, will host a series of roundtables this week with industry leaders to discuss the economic and employment challenges they face, particularly the national shortage of skilled labour.

The five roundtables to be held will cover:

• science and commercialisation (Wednesday 17 August)
• digital and tech skills (Wednesday 17 August)
• advanced manufacturing (Thursday 18 August)
• industrial unions (Thursday 18 August)
• artificial intelligence (Friday 19 August).