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Obviously, the solutions aren't easy, but it is clear to me that for too long Illawarra has received too little assistance from various federal governments in terms of boosting the region's economy and ensuring the region's future.
Since February last year I have held a series of Job Summits where representatives from bodies from across the Illawarra have attended to discuss the issue of employment & the Illawarra's future.
These Job Summits have been going well, with great ideas shared and strategies for the future being developed.
In the next few months my office will be producing a report entitled 'The Social Cost of Unemployment' where we will highlight the impacts upon individuals and their families of long term unemployment, focussing on the problems associated with youth unemployment and intergenerational unemployment.
The Australian Greens are committed to redressing discrimination and inequality across the spectrum of work. We also believe that economic growth is an inadequate solution to the unemployment problem at a time when market economics and mass-consumerism have already placed the environment and people under heavy pressure.
The trend to globalisation and the view of economic rationalist theory that international competitiveness should be the priority consideration in economic policy clearly both need review. Constraints on globalisation are necessary for important environmental, social and economic reasons. Protecting employment in domestic industries is one of those important social reasons, and such protection may also have environmental benefits from reduced transport of goods. While protection can have an overall economic cost, this cost is of secondary importance to the social and environmental benefits, and is therefore a cost that is warranted for the social good.
A radically new perspective needs to be taken. The green vision is one where work, leisure and income are all shared equitably. In a green society, everybody is the master of her/his own time. People must have time for leisure as well as for shouldering the responsibility of the family, society and the environment. The Australian Greens propose an employment, labour market and incomes policy that will recognise and reward all peoples’ occupations appropriately, with a commitment to a proper safety net for all.
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