Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that recent research published by the Open University on investment in the care industry found that:

  (i) if Australia invested 1% of GDP in the care industry, it would raise the employment rate by 1.2% which, as a point of comparison, is more than the same investment in the construction industry,

  (ii) investment in the care industry would result in 79% of new jobs being filled by women, thereby helping to reduce the gender employment gap in Australia, and

  (iii) the fiscal returns from investing in the care industry are higher compared to investing in other industries, allowing greater investment for the same net cost;

(b) acknowledges that the care industry, including the education, health, aged care and child care sectors, play a critical role in Australia's recovery from the COVID-19 crisis; and

(c) calls on the Government to invest in the care industry to generate new jobs, close the gender employment gap and ensure we have the workforce to deliver universal access to essential services.