Event: Jennifer Westacott interview with Allison Langdon and Karl Stefanovic, The Today Show
Speakers: Allison Langdon, host, The Today Show; Karl Stefanovic, host, The Today Show; Jennifer Westacott Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia
Topics: Jobs and Skills Summit; migration; industrial relations; women’s workforce participation

E&OE

Allison Langdon, host, The Today Show: Business Council Chief Executive Jennifer Westacott joins us now. Jennifer, nice to see you this morning.

Jennifer Westacott Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia: Good to see you.

Allison: Who said opposing sides can't get along. What are the main points you want to see come from this summit?

Jennifer: Well, we want to see the big resets. So, the big reset on migration, obviously we need to fix our current skill shortages, we need to get on with processing those visas. But we need to reset it for the long term, make sure that we’re all agreeing that it has a positive role, and shift it to more long-term migration. On skills, we need to fix our apprenticeship system, we need to get our vocational system working properly and we need to make sure that there are different ways for people to learn, like doing short courses, micro credentials. On women's participation, let's get childcare fixed, let’s get paid parental leave working. And on industrial relations, let's get more people bargaining, let's get the system to be simpler and let's make sure that we're all working together to make sure that Australians get higher wages.

Karl Stefanovic, host, The Today Show: How many of those things are you going to get done in the next two days?

Jennifer: I'm hoping we get all of those big resets done Karl, because it's really important that we walk away with this summit with some actions and some real direction and then obviously, post the Summit, all the detail work on the implementation. But I'm really hoping we get that big reset on migration, on skills, on the broad principles of a modern workplace relations system, and on women's participation and get some kind of real momentum on how we actually get women, not just working, but working in a way that advances them and helps them realise their full potential.

Allison: We think it's really exciting and very hopeful that some really big decisions and life changing decisions can be made in the coming days. Thanks Jennifer.

Karl: Thanks Jennifer.

Jennifer: You are welcome.