Diversity Council Australia (DCA) has contributed a submission to the Government’s Economic Reform Roundtable and its consultations to improve productivity, build economic resilience and strengthen budget sustainability.
DCA provided a written submission to the Roundtable outlining how workplace inclusion aligns with, and advances, the Government’s five-pillar productivity agenda, in particular: ‘Building a skilled, adaptable workforce’ and ‘Creating dynamic and resilient economies’.
In our submission, DCA reaffirms that inclusion is not only fair, but also one of Australia’s greatest economic opportunities.
DCA's recommendations
DCA recommended the following three measures to government, to support productivity and workforce resilience, with potential for long-term budget-positive outcomes:
- Recognise workplace inclusion as a high-impact productivity lever — not a ‘nice-to-have,’ but a critical tool for building future-ready, skilled, and resilient workforces.
- Engage with DCA’s advocacy, research and expertise when developing economic reform, skills policy, and workforce-related programs — to better include Australians still excluded from full workforce participation due to systemic barriers.
- Support policies and funding that enable evidence-based inclusion strategies to thrive — particularly those with a focus on individuals who have been historically disadvantaged or underrepresented in the labour market.