The federal government’s Jobs and Skills Summit is all about bringing Australians together to tackle our big economic challenges.
Whether it’s skills shortages, youth unemployment, increasing participation in our workforce or the skyrocketing cost of living – the issues in Australia’s economy are amplified in our community.
That’s why, ahead of this week’s national Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra, I brought together local businesses, workers, job seekers and community groups from across our area for the Rankin Jobs and Skills Summit last week.
I was heartened and inspired by the feedback I heard at the Diggers Services Club in Logan Central on Friday.
Every single one of the more than 70 community champions we heard from had something to contribute to the summit.
That proves to me that there is a strong appetite for some real talk about how we address the economic challenges in our area.
I will take the feedback from our community to the Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra which I will host alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese from September 1-2.
A strong Australian economy relies on strong local economies in communities like ours.
What I’ve heard here at home will be absolutely vital in shaping the federal government’s policies and ensuring we have the right policy settings to build a stronger economy and a fairer labour market – here and across Australia.
But this work won’t end with the Jobs and Skills Summit. This is just the first step.
It marks the beginning of a new approach – with a strong belief in embracing our challenges and bringing Australians together to lift the handbrake on our economy.
But we can only do that if we bring people together.
I grew up in Logan and have lived in the area my entire life.
I was inspired to become your representative in parliament because I want to make a real difference here in Rankin.
Now, as Treasurer of Australia, I have a better platform than ever before to ensure that our voices are heard.
I believe wholeheartedly that kids growing up in our community deserve the same opportunities to good education and stable, well-paid employment that are afforded to kids in our capital cities.
Ensuring we close the barriers to employment and create more opportunities for Australians to get a secure, well-paid job is a core aim of our Jobs and Skills Summit.
As your elected representative, I’ll continue to stand up for you.
I’ll continue to tell it like it is.
And I’ll do everything I can to ensure that the federal government addresses the challenges that have held our economy and our community back for the best part of the last decade.
