Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Unlike what we saw in your era, we find skills shortages. This has been compounded by a rapidly ageing population. A study last December estimated that, in five years time, there will be 200,000 more jobs in Australia than we have people to fill them. What are you doing in considering that? Nothing! This is a dilemma, a challenge for Australia, borne out of strong economic growth and an ageing population. We need plans to deal with this. When you put these two things together, you get pressure on skills. There is no silver bullet to address the skills shortage. It requires a coordinated and wide-ranging program of policies.

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