Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. A key theme coming out of the Jobs and Skills Summit was the need to increase employment opportunities and outcomes for people with disability. What steps are the government taking to achieve this?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

RISHWORTH (—) (): I would like to thank the member for Pearce for her question and her ongoing support for those living with a disability in her electorate and beyond. Of course, the Albanese Labor government is committed to supporting the fullest participation of all people with a disability in society, and increasing employment for people with a disability is a key priority. The unemployment rate for people with a disability increased steadily over the last decade, widening the unemployment gap between people with disability and people without disability. It is now more than double.

Every person in Australia is entitled to the dignity of work and the economic, social and psychological benefits that work brings. That's why I was incredibly pleased at the Jobs and Skills Summit last Friday: there was a shared commitment to boosting participation and breaking down structural, institutional and attitudinal bias and barriers that many Australians living with a disability face every day. Really, it was disappointing—

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is interrupting here, but what was really disappointing was that the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party missed out on the panel of people with lived experience of barriers to the workplace. Those individuals were able to talk about—

I really find the Leader of the Opposition disrespecting the lived experience that those people with a disability face. They had the guts to stand up and talk about their own experience of barriers to the workplace.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The member for Barker is on a warning.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I tell you that, if we are going to truly unlock the full potential for our country and address our labour shortages, we need to support the right conditions to encourage inclusive workplaces, to encourage employers to open up their workplace for those workers who have been overlooked before. That's why I'm so pleased that at our Jobs and Skills Summit we were able to make tangible progress on ensuring people living with disability are able to get access to the workplace.

I don't understand why those opposite are continuing to ridicule progress made on increasing employment opportunities for people living with a disability. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Through an MOU, the government—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume her seat for a moment. The minster doesn't have the call. I'll call the member for Petrie.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On reflection on members. The minister just reflected on us in a disorderly way in relation to people with disability. We made no such comment at all.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's no point of order.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will enter into a MOU with the Business Council of Australia to design a disability employment initiative. We will have 1,000 APS digital traineeships to ensure those living with disadvantage get access to this opportunity. We will enter into a partnership with Australia's technology sector— (Time expired)