AREEA has submitted to the Productivity Commission’s Issues Paper on Geographical Labour Mobility, saying that effective steps to encourage domestic labour mobility requires ‘big thinking’ and coordinated interventions by Australia’s policy makers and that Australian workers would be the ultimate beneficiaries.
On behalf of our members, AREEA welcomed the opportunity to contribute to this important debate, given the effects of labour immobility impacts greatly on Australia’s ability to meet its changing workforce and employment needs.
“AREEA would like to highlight at the outset that it is vital for policy makers to take a realistic and pragmatic look at the complex challenges associated with domestic labour mobility, particularly as it pertains to Australia’s resource industry,” the submissions states.
“Understanding the real-world challenges associated with labour mobility will ensure sensible and practical policy making that takes into account the necessity and benefits of supplementary labour sources (such as commuters from other states and overseas workers) while at the same time seeking to ensure the local population is as highly and relevantly-skilled as possible.”
In addition to ensuring Australian workers receive the benefits of increased resource industry activity, the recommendations provided by AREEA to the Productivity Commission are also guided by the principle that a mobile and agile workforce is required for companies to gain access to the skills they need to deliver projects on time and on budget.
In particular, AREEA’s submission urged policy makers to recognise:
- That genuine challenges exist in encouraging and facilitating worker relocation, particularly from urban east coast areas to remote and regional areas in the west;
- That fly-in fly-out (FIFO) working arrangements can be appropriately balanced with local residential workforces;
- The important contributions made to the Australian economy by skilled migrants; and
- The important role played by resource companies in providing regional investment through mining projects and associated roadworks and infrastructure.
Click here to read AREEA’s detailed recommendations to the Productivity Commission, which provide a starting point for policy makers to make a positive impact on labour mobility if approached in a coordinated and well-informed way.
