Opportunities for more Australians
In order to make the most of our opportunities, the Government is investing in Australia's workforce and economic infrastructure, so that the economy has the workers it needs and the benefits of the mining boom are spread across Australia.
A strong economy is creating opportunities
The mining boom will create job opportunities and boost living standards for many Australians, but emerging capacity constraints and divergent growth prospects across sectors and regions pose challenges for policy makers.
The mining boom is creating labour demand in the mining and related sectors, but broader economic and demographic changes are also driving labour demand in health, aged care, renewable energy and services.
Last year, the Government announced a set of measures that respond to the mining boom:
- investing in infrastructure to address capacity constraints;
- cutting business tax to boost competitiveness across the economy; and
- boosting superannuation to save some of the gains.
This Budget builds on these measures with new steps to address potential capacity constraints in Australia's workforce and infrastucture.
Training to build capacity
Economic growth means more demand for skills not just in mining and construction but across the economy.
The Government is investing to help Australians get the skills they need to find jobs and meet industry needs.
This Budget puts industry at the heart of the training effort and continues longer term reform of apprenticeships and the national training system.
Spreading opportunity
Despite strong economic growth, not all groups and regions are sharing equally in rising prosperity. Jobless families, single parents, disengaged young people and people with disability can all benefit from the opportunities provided by a strong economy.
The Government is assisting more Australians to participate through a combination of incentives, supports and responsibilities.
Improving skills