Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The initial establishment of Jobs and Skills Australia late in 2022 has already seen the commencement of important work that is needed to identify solutions to our skills and workforce challenges, and to build the workforce Australia needs now and in the future. Introducing the legislation in two stages, including this amendment bill, has allowed the government the time and opportunity to consult with key tripartite partners and stakeholders in state and territory governments, business, unions, training and education providers, and civil society representatives. We have also had constructive engagement with members of the crossbench and the Greens both here and in the House of Representatives.

I thank all members for their contributions to this debate. Those who will support this bill agree workers, employers, governments and the training and education sector must work together if we want to unlock the full potential of Australia's workforce and ensure Australians have the skills and training needed for jobs now and in the future, even if we come from different viewpoints. The Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill establishes the ongoing governance arrangements for Jobs and Skills Australia and additional functions to ensure it plays a critical role as a national body providing consistent data, analysis and advice. There is a genuine and growing need for an inclusive workforce and relevant high-quality skills in sectors like the construction and aged-care workforces and in emerging sectors such as clean energy and digital technology. These challenges are shared. All levels of government, industry, business, employers, unions and education providers must work together if we want to unlock the full potential of Australia's workforce and ensure Australians have the skills and training needed for the jobs of today and the future.

The government engaged widely with stakeholders for more than six months on the proposed model of Jobs and Skills Australia. This included the Jobs and Skills Summit, Senate inquiries, submissions and hearings, and other roundtables, bilateral meetings and a discussion paper seeking public comment. Taking these views into account has ensured Jobs and Skills Australia is designed in a way that considers the needs of all stakeholders in our workforce and skills system and delivers a genuine tripartite and consultative way of working now and in the future.

The advice provided by Jobs and Skills Australia will be independent. While the Minister for Skills and Training can request advice from Jobs and Skills Australia, the advice provided will be made independently by the JSA commissioner, and the minister must not give direction about the content of any advice.

The bill establishes the governance of Jobs and Skills Australia with a commissioner, deputy commissioners and a ministerial advisory board who will provide critical leadership support, engaging widely to support the delivery of the work program of Jobs and Skills Australia. Jobs and Skills Australia will be led by an independent commissioner who will be appointed in a long-term permanent capacity through a merit based selection process. The commissioner will be supported by no more than two deputy commissioners, who will have broad-ranging skills and experience in representing the views of stakeholders, to assist the government in addressing skilling, workforce and labour market needs. The ministerial advisory board will be truly tripartite and representative of the diverse skills and experience within the sector. It will ensure advice, particularly on how JSA delivers on the new and existing functions, is informed by a wide range of views, insights and expertise.

I want to briefly comment on the second reading amendments that have been circulated. On the amendment circulated by Senator Faruqi on behalf of the Greens, as at budget 2023-24 the government is investing an estimated $4.5 billion in vocational education and training this financial year. It is delivering at least 180,000 fee-free TAFE places this year alone, in 2023. The government is working through the development of a VET workforce blueprint as an outcome of the Jobs and Skills Summit, which will ensure the long-term sustainability of the VET sector, growing that high-quality workforce in TAFE and aiming to identify strategies for attraction, retention, career development and succession planning. TAFE is overwhelmingly our provider of choice, including in negotiations over a new five-year national skills agreement with the states and territories, which will put TAFE at the heart of the VET system.

As part of the NSA, we will establish TAFE centres of excellence to leverage the unique strengths of TAFEs and other public providers in addressing the skills challenges we face, including in climate, care, construction and digitisation—all these reforms in partnership with states and territories rather than unilateral actions, which the amendment proposes.

On the second reading amendment moved on behalf of Senator Thorpe, I want to note that closing the gap for First Nations is a core commitment of this government, from the referendum on the Voice later this year through all policies, including the role of Jobs and Skills Australia. The motion calls on the government to pursue the establishment of a subcommittee for First Nations employment, an undertaking the government will give. We will be supporting the amendment and note that there is scope within this legislation to do so. The government will be working through the relevant process and consultation issues in pursuing it. We thank Senator Thorpe and her office for progressing this issue with the government and look forward to providing further updates.

Also on this engagement, I want to quickly respond to another matter raised by Senator Thorpe. Senator Thorpe expressed her interest in having worker wellbeing included as a matter for consideration for areas of expertise for ministerial advisory board appointees. Although this bill does not explicitly define this, I want to give the assurance to Senator Thorpe that worker wellbeing is not only an important concept that overlays the criteria in section 16B but is also part of broader government policy such as access to quality training, work opportunities and removing disadvantage in the labour market. This lens will be applied to this section.

In conclusion, I make mention of the Senate committee's tabled report and recommendation from the inquiry. A single recommendation that the bill be passed reflects the government's priority to establish a permanent Jobs and Skills Australia so we can prioritise getting on with it, working productively with stakeholders and producing better data and analysis to help inform Australia's skills crisis and labour market issues. I commend the bill to the chamber.