Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As all of us here should be aware, the world of work in Australia is undergoing rapid changes. These changes of course impact disproportionately on young people, people just starting their working lives or those just about to start in the formal work force. These issues are of great concern to me, as I know they are to all of my colleagues on this side of the House. They are of concern in particular in areas such as many that I represent where there is very high youth unemployment. For these reasons a couple of weeks ago I organised a forum targeted at young workers in the company of the wonderful people of the Young Workers Forum in Melbourne, to discuss what was important to these young workers, what was of concern to them, and to frame policy responses that meet their needs now and into the future.

As well as the specific experiences that young workers are experiencing at work, their concerns are framed by wider questions of inequality. Today in question time we saw the Treasurer evade the subject of worsening inequality in Australia. But the survey that he tried to take comfort in, that conducted by HILDA, explains that not only is inequality on the rise, especially in terms of wealth; it has a generational component. Young people are being left behind. This has been exacerbated by a number of decisions this government has made.

This forum enabled young people to share their concerns: their experiences of exploitation in the workplace, and their uncertainty as to how to exercise the rights they have in the workplace. I am indebted to Dylan Goldsworthy from the Young Workers Centre for the way in which he explained to people the rights they have at work and the avenues for redress that are available to them. I am also indebted to all those young people who came along. Their experiences are important and their stories are powerful. They highlight the concerns that young people have today and the fact that for too many people their aspirations are being short-changed—short-changed by a system that isn't working for them and by a government that doesn't take their concerns seriously.

The ACTU says that we need to change the rules when it comes to the world of work. I agree; we do need to change the rules. We also need to engage with young people seriously and respectfully and encourage them in the belief that the rules can be changed, that they can be offered a fairer future. I want to say to all those young people who attended: thank you. Thank you for taking an interest for yourselves and for your peers and for your interest in the community that you are a part of. I want to thank, in particular, Paul Papadatos of the Innovation Youth Centre for his leadership in community and his involvement in the forum. I want to say to all my young constituents: in Labor we take the world of work seriously, and we will fight for your rights at work and for good secure jobs.

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