Questions for stakeholders from the Issues Paper

The Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia (the committee) invites stakeholders to provide submissions or supplementary submissions in response to any of the questions set out in this issues paper, and to provide greater detail on the issues outlined in this paper.

Indigenous employment participation

(a)What improvements to government policy would most impact current Indigenous employment rates?

(b)How can governments better consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations about programs to increase Indigenous employment participation?

(c)How could industry be better supported to employ a greater proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in Northern Australia?

(d)What policies in the past have had the most beneficial impact, and what policy initiatives have had the least impact?

(e)Which of the above proposed solutions do you consider would have the most benefit?

Housing

(a)What interventions are required from governments and businesses to address the cost and availability of housing in Northern Australia?

(i)How should these interventions differ from Australia-wide interventions to deal with housing affordability and stock?

(b)What former or existing policy initiatives from the Australian and state/territory governments to help improve housing stock and affordability have worked, and what initiatives have had limited impact?

(c)What impact have major infrastructure and clean energy projects had on local housing stock?

(i)How have business and industry ensured the employees required for these projects have access to appropriate housing, without this impacting the local housing and rental market?

(d)Would tax concessions and subsidies to attract essential care workers to Northern Australia lead to an increase in rental and house prices? How would these impact housing affordability for long-term residents?

(e)What merits do the proposed solutions listed above from submitters have, and what might be their drawbacks?

Health

(a)Given the global and national shortfall of health workers, how could Australia ethically introduce targeted migration to help reduce severe health workforce shortages in Northern Australia?

(b)Despite decades of government initiatives, health workforce shortages remain in Northern Australia. What government policies have been most effective and what have not been effective?

(c)What reforms are needed to ensure there is a greater number of health graduates willing to work in Northern Australia?

(i)Have financial incentives at the tertiary level and clinical placements had a positive impact?

(ii)What reforms are needed at the College level to recognise qualifications or increase the number of health practitioners?

(d)What does evidence suggest most incentivises medical and health professionals to work in Northern Australia? For example, training pathways, accommodation subsidies, guaranteed employment for spouses, large salary packages.

(e)Which models of health care are working best in parts of remote Northern Australia, particularly in remote Indigenous communities?

(f)What needs changing in the delivery of primary health care in Northern Australia as a matter of urgency?

(g)Of the solutions proposed above, which do you consider have merit and should be adopted immediately?

Childcare

(a)What are childcare services in Northern Australia currently doing to address workforce shortages?

(b)Given current workforce shortages in childcare, to what extent are early childhood providers:

(i)relying on migrants to fill vacancies;

(ii)drawing on and upskilling a local workforce; or

(iii)recruiting childcare workers from other areas; and

Which of these approaches has been most effective?

(c)What major initiatives from all levels of government would help to address current childcare workforce shortages for Northern Australia?

(d)With a national childcare worker shortfall, what can governments do to increase the number of childcare workers nationally?

(e)How have childcare workforce shortages affected the cost of childcare services in Northern Australia?

(f)Are childcare workforce shortages a recent issue, or one that has developed over the last few decades?

(g)What current state and federal government initiatives to attract more people to careers in childcare are working the best?

(h)What flexible options could childcare centres consider implementing to provide services for shift workers, and how could governments support these efforts?

Education

(a)What are the key issues in Northern Australia for:

(i)The provision of school-based education, including for remote Indigenous communities;

(ii)The provision and uptake of vocational education; and

(iii)Attainment of higher education qualifications?

(b)What initiatives could encourage increased school attendance in Northern Australia?

(c)How might governments encourage university students from Northern Australia to remain in Northern Australia?

(d)How might governments encourage international students to enrol in higher education and vocational courses in Northern Australia?

(e)Which of the above solutions do you consider have merit?

(f)What historical and existing government initiatives have been most effective in improving educational outcomes and service delivery in Northern Australia?

Infrastructure

(a)What improvements have occurred in infrastructure in parts of Northern Australia over the past several decades, and what needs to be addressed as a matter of priority?

(b)Of the above solutions mentioned above, which do you consider have merit?

(c)How could existing Australian Government funding for infrastructure projects in Northern Australia be improved?

(d)To what extent has Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility financing improved airport infrastructure in Northern Australia?

Internet and telecommunications

(a)To what extent have Australian Government grants improved internet and telecommunications infrastructure and coverage in Northern Australia?

(b)What else can all levels of government do to improve internet and telecommunications coverage in Northern Australia, particularly in remote communities?