Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the recent jobs and skills roundtable I held in my electorate of Spence on 23 August, in the lead-up to the Prime Minister's Jobs and Skills Summit that was held on 1 and 2 September. It was fantastic to have over 40 representatives from across the northern suburbs, representing many different backgrounds, including state MPs, local government representatives, unions, NGOs, business groups and charities. I would like to thank my colleague Senator Marielle Smith for joining me and assisting as co-chair of the roundtable. Her assistance was invaluable and ensured we delivered a very productive session with all participants.

Our government took office at a time of rising inflation and interest rates, falling real wages and a trillion dollars in debt which is now more expensive to service. The Jobs and Skills Summit was an important step in helping to address some of these challenges. Our goal is to build a bigger, better trained and more productive workforce; to boost incomes and living standards; and to create more opportunities for more Australians to get ahead and to reach their aspirations.

The discussion at the Spence roundtable was free and frank, with the following prominent, key local issues taking centre stage after a long discussion across several subject areas: increased engagement between education institutions and industry; expanding technical skills through mentorship; creating tangible career pathways; creating competitive advantage through increased productivity by investing in education, innovation, and research and development; investing in wraparound services for our culturally and linguistically diverse communities, workers with a disability and also young and experienced workers entering or returning to the workforce; equal pay for women through transparency in the workplace, including access to affordable child care; and encouraging investment in large advanced manufacturing projects, with local employment requirements, focusing on industries such as defence and clean energy technologies.

I would like to thank the City of Salisbury, not only for providing the venue to host the Spence Jobs and Skills Roundtable but also for their participation throughout the process. I'd also like to thank my state parliamentary colleagues Rhiannon Pearce MP, John Fulbrook MP and Lee Odenwalder MP for attending, and the Hon. Zoe Bettison MP, the Hon. Nick Champion MP and Tony Piccolo MP for sending representatives. I'd also like to thank Trinity College, St Patrick's Technical College, the Northern Adelaide State Secondary Schools Alliance, TAFE SA, the Northern Area Community and Youth Services, along with the three main councils and their chosen representatives. It was a fantastic event and a valuable contribution.