Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been invited to attend the federal government’s landmark national jobs and skills summit.
The summit – a Labor election promise – is aimed at addressing Australia’s economic challenges, and will bring together around 100 representatives from the business, industry, union and community sectors.
Mr Dutton has been given the option for another coalition MP to attend in his place if he is unavailable.
The summit is being held in the spirit of cooperation, which extends to the opposition if they are willing to accept it, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.
“We aren’t expecting absolute agreement on every issue, and that’s not the goal, but I know there is a heap of enthusiasm to find a broad consensus on the way forward,” he said.
“This is a working summit, not a soiree. We want participants to roll up their sleeves and bring fresh ideas to the table.”
The jobs summit will be held in Canberra on the first two days of September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced last month.
An issues paper on key challenges and questions to be discussed at the summit is expected to be released by mid-August.
A full list of confirmed attendees will be released and is expected to include employers, workers, community representatives and state and territory leaders.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has released its first paper ahead of the September summit outlining how the economy can be overhauled in the national interest.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said Australian workers have suffered through nearly a decade of insecure work and stagnant wages, and have been met with historically high inflation resulting in real pay cuts.
“Our top economic goal as a nation should be to give everyone the chance to get a secure and fairly paid job … that’s what we mean by full and secure employment,” she said.
“Achieving this will require more than fiddling around the edges, it requires new ways of thinking about how our system is managed, who benefits from it and how to change if for the better.”
The union proposes implementing a fairer and more comprehensive inflation-reducing policy that protects workers’ incomes, ensuring fiscal policy supports the creation of quality jobs and reforming the industrial relations system.
Mr Chalmers said not only those who attend the summit will be able to provide their input to the government.
Everyone will be able to provide a submission to the Employment White Paper, which will help map out the future of Australia’s skills and labour, Dr Chalmers said.
Outcomes from the summit and subsequent discussions are expected to inform the treasurers’ first budget on October 25.
