Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Earlier today you attended the launch of the new website, The Field. How will this resource support Australians living with a disability?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite for her question. Earlier today myself, Minister Shorten and Minister Rishworth were honoured to attend the launch of The Field with the Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott. Dylan Alcott is a remarkable Australian, and we should all be proud, as is he, of the achievement that he has made as an advocate for people with disabilities. What The Field is about is matching up people with disability with employers, showing the skills that they have to offer the employment market and making sure that there's a one-stop shop so that we can encourage the more than 500,000 Australians with a disability who want to work. What Dylan Alcott said today at the event here in Parliament House was that not everyone can work but that those who do want to work should be given the support to do so. And that should be done in a way that not just helps them to contribute fully to society but also will help our economy.

Now, at a time of skills shortages and relatively low unemployment, there's no better time for employers to log on and participate in this process, just as people with disabilities are doing. Connecting people with career opportunities, as The Field does, is good for the individual, but it's also very good for business. One of the things that struck me about the Jobs and Skills Summit was that some of the most powerful moments were of people with disability speaking about their experiences in the labour market and about how, by being given an opportunity to contribute, they were lifting up their own self-status and they were lifting up their income, but they were also helping businesses to grow.

There are a range of sites. There's a very powerful video, which I encourage people to have a look at as well, of a person with a disability—a young woman working in hospitality in a remarkable way.

Dylan Alcott spoke powerfully at the Jobs and Skills Summit, but he also, I think, brought a great deal of grace and honour to this Parliament House when he attended here today. I do encourage employers to participate. I congratulate Dylan Alcott for his ongoing leadership. It was a great privilege to be there today, and I can think of no better note to finish question time on today than to wish him and all those who participated in The Field well.

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.