NSW Labor conference fringe event on Underemployment – a huge success
The 2016 NSW ALP state conference held at the Sydney Town Hall on 13-14 February was buzzing with activity – not only on the main floor where policy issues were hotly debated and voted on. Just as engaging and well-attended by ALP aficionados, numerous fringe events were interspersed with the key proceedings, offering all those in attendance who ventured to the lower levels of the venue a rich kaleidoscope of issues-featured speeches, presentations and stimulating interactive sessions highlighting the expression of democracy at its best.
One such fringe event attracting much deserved interest focused on an ever-increasing problem in Australia – the casualization of work with insufficient employment, job uncertainty, and reduced career development pathways. Headlined as Underemployment – An Australian Quandary, this outstanding fringe event was conceived and organized by two influential and respected members of the Indian sub-continental community. Well-connected and passionately involved in Labor party politics, Mr Harish Velji and Ms Aisha Amjad convened specifically for the occasion a distinguished panel of public figures and a prominent academic to share expert insights into this worsening but underrated conundrum. Senator Sam Dastyari (representing NSW) chaired the function, opting for an informal question and answer format between the keynote speakers and the audience of over 120 people who had made their way to the Lower Town Hall 2.
Initiating the discussion, Professor Francesco Alafaci, an academic specialising in Business Management studies at UBS Sydney, gave a comprehensive overview of the nature and causes of underemployment, delving meticulously into the long–term ramifications for the Australian workforce and the economy as a whole. Professor Alafaci highlighted the evolving configuration of the problem, buttressed with statistical data extrapolated from his prolonged research for a book on Unemployment and Labour Market policy to be published in 2017, illustrating how underemployment has metastasized into a plethora of broad inadequate workplace arrangements, skilled-related underemployment and downright so-called labour hoarding practices by numerous private business enterprises. Interestingly, Professor Alafaci, a long-standing member of the ALP, former candidate for the NSW Legislative Council at the 2015 state election and the current National Deputy Chairman of the prominent Labor party think tank, the Australian Fabians, is presently campaigning for ALP pre-selection for the federal seat of Reid, given his intimate knowledge of the electorate and his proactive involvement with the Australian and ethnic constituencies that reside within its boundaries.
Ably supporting Professor Alafaci, the fringe event included the insightful contributions of four luminaries of the ALP and labour movement. Tony Sheldon, the National Secretary of the Transport Workers Union commented that underemployed persons should not be missing out on employment opportunities because of the overuse and abuse of the temporary 457 and working holiday visa system, which continues to see young and older Australian workers disadvantaged in employment opportunities whilst non-native workers are being exploited – 7-Eleven being a case in point. Furthermore, the Hon. Michelle Rowland – the Shadow Minister for Small Business, Citizenship and Multiculturalism, and the Hon. Chris Hayes – the federal member for Fowler – responded to questions from the audience on the important challenges that underemployment poses for housing policy. Under current arrangements and with no federal programs in place, the underemployed workforce is largely ineligible for Commonwealth rent assistance, family tax benefits and other allowances that would contribute to assisting those in part-time jobs, often short-term and without leave entitlements, who are deeply hurting from protracted household stress.
As an unexpected bonus, the fringe event witnessed the guest participation of the Member for Lilley – former Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer of Australia in the Rudd–Gillard Labor governments, Wayne Swan – who travelled from Queensland to attend the NSW ALP conference as an observer. Mr Swan delivered an impassioned speech punctuated with references to his first-hand experience as a minister in policy making to propose solutions that ensure the adequate supply and demand of appropriately skilled human resources possessing the capability and flexibility to participate in the domestic workforce into the foreseeable future. Taxpayer funds should be invested in long–term beneficial schemes rather than the expensive wastefulness of collective funding in shallow programs that have minimal benefits for the national well–being. Strikingly, the Australian economy is growing relatively slowly and employment is not keeping up with underlying population growth, which signifies that improving business conditions is a necessary method of reviving the stagnant employment market. In conclusion, a future federal Labor government would mandatorily have to embrace spending policies that encourage business investment and employment growth.
Dr Frank Alafaci for ALP preselection
for the federal seat of Reid