2020-10-08
As the Federal Budget fails to invest in a green recovery to tackle the climate crisis, or the housing crisis, the ACT Greens will create 4,500 new jobs in the ACT.
The ACT Greens will also deliver the job creation and support programs missing in the Federal Budget, by exploring the establishment of a not for profit Territory-owned Job Provider.
The Greens have also committed to prioritising employment of staff as public servants over contractors across the ACT Government.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen around 5,000 Canberrans lose their jobs in the Territory, and thousands of others have had their hours cut.
Creating and sustaining local jobs will be essential for our COVID economic recovery, and the Greens want to use this moment to invest in the green economy and build a stronger, 21st Century city and workforce.
That means building infrastructure that will benefit our community for generations, investing in the public, community and private sectors, and upholding the rights and dignity of the unemployed.
The Federal Government has failed to invest in public housing across the country, leaving states and territories to address their housing crises on their own. The only housing funds announced last night were increasing the National Housing Finance Investment Corporation, which the ACT’s community housing providers are ineligible for. This is why the ACT Greens have committed to a $450 million investment in our A Home for All package.
The Greens ‘Building a Better Normal’ policy initiatives will deliver around 4,500 new jobs, including but not limited to:
- Over 3,000 new jobs over four years as part of the Greens’ flagship ‘Home for All’ package
- Some 840 jobs in green building and retrofitting jobs through a $50 million Just Transition Fund to make homes cheaper and more comfortable
- 200 jobs in waste management including through implementation of residential food and garden waste collection and large-scale composting by 2023
- 191 new jobs for early childhood educators as part of our guarantee of 15/hrs a week free childcare for three year olds
- Doubling our annual investment in alcohol and other drug services, creating an estimated 100 jobs
- More jobs to expand light rail, and Canberra’s EV charging infrastructure
The ‘Jobs of the Future’ plan will also scope potential options for a Territory-owned Job Agency to provide better services to unemployed Canberrans. Australia is the only OECD country to outsource the entire delivery of its publicly funded employment services.These private companies are expected to profit greatly off the COVID pandemic employment crisis, with questionable practices meaning we need to look for alternatives that give people the support they need to find meaningful employment.
The Greens also committed to a ‘proud to be public’ position that public service employees will be employees in the first instance - not outsourced contractors, to build the capability in our trusted public service. The Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Youth Affairs Inquiry into the Extent, Nature and Consequence of Insecure Work in the ACT recommended that the Government utilise direct employment for service provision in schools and hospitals and make more of those jobs permanent.
Comments attributable to Shane Rattenbury, ACT Greens leader:
“The Greens are committed to growing the number of jobs in the ACT, to help buffer the impacts of COVID on our community and our economy.
We are also committed to supporting our public service to have secure work, rather than the constant revolving door of insecure contracts that we too often see.”
Read our full package at: greens.org.au/act/green-jobs-package
Statement ends
Media contact
Lisa Wills M 0481 035 764 E lisa.wills@act.gov.au