The federal Liberals have rejected an invitation to attend a national jobs summit next month, labeling it a stunt.
Key points:
- The opposition has ruled out any of its MPs attending next month’s jobs summit
- The federal government is agreeing to a summit with the hopes it will prompt wages and productivity growth
- Peter Dutton says the summit is a “stunt” with the unions
The federal government is preparing to agree to a summit for the first week of September that it hopes will be a keystone for its economic policy in the term ahead that will unify business, government and unions.
Government ministers had expressed hesitation over inviting the opposition, saying it would only be invited if it was prepared to be constructive.
On Tuesday Treasurer Jim Chalmers wrote to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, extending an invitation for him or another Coalition MP to attend.
But Mr Dutton has rejected the invitation.
“It’s a stunt with the unions,” Mr Dutton said.
“We’ll support all sorts of good policies from the government … but we’re not going to support stunts.
“The fact that Jim Chalmers wrote to me and then within a couple of hours dropped it to The Australian newspaper demonstrates it is nothing more than a stunt.”
Unions lay down reform agenda ahead of summit
Overnight, the peak union body outlined its goals for the upcoming jobs summit, with “full and secure” employment being its first priority.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions said despite unemployment being at a historic low, real wages were declining and insecure work was “rife”.
The ACTU said the federal government should implement an excess-profits levy on companies “enjoying windfall profits as a result of current inflation”, cancel planned tax cuts for high-income earners and regulate labor markets to ensure wages rose in line with productivity.
The unions have already flagged they want enterprise bargaining rules overhauled, something the government has indicated it will pursue despite resistance from business groups.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said for workers to benefit, the government must do more than fiddle around the edges on workplace reforms.
“It requires new ways of thinking about how our system is managed, who benefits from it, and how to change it for the better,” Ms McManus said.
Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume said despite her party’s refusal to attend, the jobs summit would be an important chance to set the policy agenda for the coming term of government.
“The jobs summit that’s coming up will be a very important event in which a lot of these demands get aired,” Senator Hume told Sky News.
“The real test, of course, will be when Labor starts ruling out some of these demands from their union masters.
“I think this is an important opportunity for the Australian public to really hear what it was they voted on.”
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