News: Professionals Australia lodges their pre-budget submission

Professionals Australia’s pre-budget submission has called on the Federal Government to focus on jobs and rebuilding the economy after the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

CEO Jill McCabe said that the Federal Budget presented a unique opportunity to lay the foundations for long term economic growth and to address long standing inequities in the labour market.

“Australia’s economic recovery will be built on policies and investment in physical and social infrastructure, science, technology, engineering and high value manufacturing.
“To create future prosperity we need budget initiatives that create high-quality and secure jobs and to create an economy that’s fair we need industrial regulation that protects workers’ wages, conditions and rights” Ms McCabe said.

The Professionals Australia submission looks at these top budget priorities:

1. Fair industrial regulation
2. Strategic investment in emerging areas
3. 3% R&D investment by 2030
4. Investment in residential and civil construction
5. Chief Engineer in each state
6.  Workplace mental health
7. Investment in skills
8. Commitment to implementing the Superannuation Guarantee legislated increases
9. Education and research to lift productivity, create jobs and provide equality of opportunity
10.  Gender diversity as critical to innovation and a sustainable STEM workforce
11. Attracting STEM skills to the Australian Public Service