Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move opposition amendment (1) on sheet 2057:

(1) Schedule 1, item 12, page 4 (after line 25), after subparagraph 9(1)(a)(viii), insert:

(ix) the size, composition and skills requirements of the volunteer sector;

The coalition have been constructive when it comes to Jobs and Skills Australia. We have supported the establishment of this legislation. In line with that spirit, we're seeking to amend the bill to improve Jobs and Skills Australia through specifically establishing a role for Jobs and Skills Australia understanding and in respect of the volunteer sector.

It actually emerged during a round table convened by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition last Friday with the peak skills organisations and the volunteer sector that currently the government does not adequately take into account the volunteering sector in its actual deliberations when it's looking at the jobs and skills that we do require going forward. This is a missed opportunity, because even though the work is predominantly unpaid across the volunteer sector, the sector still remains a large part of our workforce. For example, over 200,000 volunteers work in fire service organisations and 25,000 volunteers work in state and territory emergency services. According to the 2020 Aged Care Workforce Census 30,883 people volunteered across Commonwealth aged-care services. Australia's 55,000 charities employ over 1.38 million people, about 10.5 per cent of all employees, and they engage around 3.4 million volunteers.

When government doesn't take into account this important sector, it does make it harder for volunteer organisations to recruit, retain and then upskill their volunteers. So, in line with the direct request—and this has come as a direct request from the round table that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition had last week—from the skills and the volunteer sectors, we're taking the opportunity to explicitly establish Jobs and Skills Australia with taking into account the volunteer sector in its work. This will ensure Jobs and Skills Australia takes into account the volunteering sector as it shapes the way the federal government reforms skills and training and supports the development of our workforce. The numbers I've just referred to clearly show that Australia's volunteering sector is a significant part of Australia's workforce, and we would hope that Jobs and Skills Australia is able to recognise this and engage in particular with this sector when looking at the future workforce needs of Australia. We would welcome the support of the Senate on this amendment.