Per Capita’s research and advocacy has had a big impact on government policy in 2023. Here are some of our policy wins from this year:
Full employment
For the last five years Per Capita has been pushing our Government to re-embrace full employment. Both the review of the Reserve Bank and the Employment White Paper express a commitment to full employment as central to this Government’s agenda.
Equitable housing
The final report from the Inquiry into the Rental and Housing Affordability Crisis in Victoria, and other government announcements, adopted many of our recommendations, including:
- The call for a nationally coordinated housing policy;
- Banning all types of rental bidding;
- An end to no fault evictions;
- Increasing support to the build to rent sector;
- Recommitting to building 60,000 social housing dwellings by 2034;
- A state wide register of short stay accommodation;
- Reviewing housing related tax arrangements, including the Capital Gains Tax Discount and Negative Gearing.
Employment services
The Workforce Australia Employment Services Inquiry report has adopted many of our recommendations including a stronger focus on employers, accountability to services users, improved data and IT systems and trialling a Work in the Community program to replace Work for the Dole.
Wage rises
Our report The Case for a Care-led Recovery and Executive Director Emma Dawson’s advocacy around the care economy helped to achieve a significant pay rise for workers in the Aged Care sector, which came into effect this year. We also saw an increase in the minimum wage this year, which we advocated for in our Just Reward report.
National reconstruction
We have seen investment in the National Reconstruction Fund as well as Federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, setting out a bold agenda for industry policy and for the role of government in shaping the economy, as we have called for many times over the years.
Early childhood education and care
Our report The Case for a Care-led Recovery outlined the benefits of making child care more affordable. The Federal Government has increased the Child Care Subsidy rebate and announced the intention to move to a universal early childhood and care system.
Reinvesting in the public service
We have seen reinvestment in the independent public service and a reduction in spending on outsourcing to consultants, as Per Capita called for in our submission to the Inquiry into Management and Assurance of Integrity by Consulting Services and other pieces over the years.
