Lunch with Hon Sharman Stone, Commonwealth Minister for Workplace Relations
Minister for Workforce Participation, Dr Sharman Stone hit the mark with ARF members and their guests at a recent ARF lunch in Sydney.
Dr Stone engaged the audience with her take on what the Federal Government is doing to combat a shrinking workforce.
She said Australia’s ageing population and decreased fertility rates mean the workforce is not being replenished, even with skilled migration levels of 100,000 people a year.
“As business people, you need people to fill the ranks of ageing workers who are leaving,” Dr Stone said.
She called on the transport industry to embrace new ways of working to entice recruits from the pool of 2.5 million unemployed people of working age who will now be expected to work under the Federal Government’s Welfare to Work Program.
She cited ARF member Boral as an example of a company that had taken on mature age, long term unemployed people and trained them up to be productive and top quality employees.
She also encouraged the industry to reject what she called “ridiculous gender stereotyping,” saying female dominated industries like childcare should employee more men, while traditionally male areas should hire women.
“The majority of single parents who will now be expected to work when their children turn six, are women.”
According to Dr Stone, these women could provide the answer to some of the workforce shortages in the transport industry.
She also said the Government was investing $3.5 billion dollars to help businesses engage with these potential workers as they attempt to re-enter the workforce.
ARF President Ray Fisher praised the Minister’s informal and engaging style.
“Dr Stone had the whole audience nodding with her – she is an excellent speaker,” he said.
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