The final report of the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care (committee) reflects a thorough investigation into the state of Australia’s work and care sector, and the careful consideration of evidence provided by a wide range of stakeholders including major retailers, unions, individual workers, early childhood education and care advocacy groups, those within the formal care economy, and beyond.
Whilst the recommendations contained within the report provide a valuable contribution to policy debate and are supported in principle by the committee's Government Senators, they do not reflect Australian Government policy.
The report accurately reflects the current state of work and care within Australia. It provides recommendations to the Government on mechanisms to redress harms observed within the sector and improve the function of Australia’s formal and informal care economies.
The recommendations contained in the report arise from the evidence.
On handing this report to the Parliament and the Australian Government for further consideration we acknowledge the fiscal constraints of the moment. It is certainly fair to assume that changes in policy that the committee recommends for consideration by the Government would have cost implications. The committee did not have the resources to undertake detailed costings, and offer these recommendations encouraging that such detailed work be undertaken to fully inform future policy making and action, to redress the harms this report catalogues.
At the time this important report is tabled, the Australian Government has inherited a trillion dollars of debt from the former Coalition Government. Global conditions are putting significant pressure on the Australian economy. Current interest rates, which are high due to global inflationary pressures, have resulted in increased interest payments on the debt which has been inherited from the former government. This fiscal reality necessarily imposes constraints on social policy.
Labor senators on this committee are proud that the Australian Government is committed to the introduction of responsible, incremental legislature and policy aimed at promoting Australia’s economic growth, fair pay and conditions for all workers, practically accessible early childhood education and care, and an economic structure which empowers all Australians, including women, First Nations Australians, people with disability, and those undertaking caring responsibilities alongside the demands of work.
Support for people balancing work and care, and a strong care and support sector, are core priorities for the Australian Government. The centrepieces of the Government’s first Budget were a major investment in affordable early childhood education and care and a modernisation and expansion of paid parental leave. The Government has also launched a Productivity Commission inquiry into Australia’s early childhood education and care system and is developing a National Strategy for the Care and Support Economy. Our industrial relations reforms will make it easier for workers in female-dominated care sectors to seek better pay and conditions and we have committed to fund wage increases for aged care workers.
This report contributes important contemporary knowledge about the state of work and care in our nation. It is now the role of government to consider the report and its recommendations within the context of broader budgetary and legislative constraints.