Lisa Chesters
Bendigo · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“As I said, they are unique and quite often can fall through the cracks of the very large organisation that is known as the CFA, but in my meeting with them I was impressed by their dedication to what they do. They get together. They train.”
“I'd also like to pay tribute and honour to the late Don Drummond. Don and I first met many, many years ago, before I was the federal member for Bendigo, back when Woodend was in the Bendigo electorate. Don passed away recently. Even though Woodend hasn't been in Bendigo for a long time, he had kept in touch.”
“I rise to give a special shout-out to Oscar 1 CFA. The Oscar 1 CFA is quite a unique CFA volunteer unit in Bendigo. Its focus is on mine rescue. Like many old mining regions, Bendigo is littered with empty mine shafts. When people start to renovate, one may open up out in the Whipstick Forest or many of our other forests.”
“Before it was a thing in Labor, he always started branch meetings with a welcome to country and a value statement—the commitment to the burning light, as he said. Someone of great intellect and always a great ear, he was someone who was a true believer. Vale, Don. You will be missed.”
“On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the committee's R eport 233 : agreement on the social security between Australia and the Oriental Public of Uruguay . Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with the report.”
“And while we'd all been to the War Memorial prior to that particular event, during that visit we heard why they wanted to build purpose built galleries. They wanted to recognise the contribution of our peacekeepers, to help tell the story of our soldiers and our ADF personnel who were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.”
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“Treasury emphasised the importance of strengthening ties with Portugal by creating a more favourable investment environment. This is the first such agreement with Portugal. The committee supports this convention and recommends that binding treaty action be taken. This report before us also contains nine minor treaty actions for which no inquiries were conducted. Six of these actions are amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. They make minor changes to the convention aimed at preventing and minimising ship pollution in marine environments. The changes include: These six minor treaty actions are environmentally sound amendments that have minimal impact on industry.”
“Portugal and Australia have a history of over 64 years of strong diplomatic relations. The two countries share a range of priorities, particularly the mutual multilateral institutions, and this agreement will further develop these links. The convention aims to promote closer economic cooperation between Australia and Portugal. It will provide tax certainty for Australian businesses seeking to expand into Portugal and for Australian taxpayers deriving income from Portugal. It will encourage trade between the two countries by reducing tax barriers, decreasing the cost to Australian businesses and enabling better access to Portuguese capital and technology. In considering this convention, the committee held one public hearing, where the Department of the Treasury gave evidence.”
“On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the committee's report Report 226 : Australia-Portugal t ax t reaty . Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—I am pleased to make a statement on the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' Report 226 : Australia - Portugal tax treaty . The major treaty action considered in this report is the Convention between Australia and the Portuguese Republic for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes on Income and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance. The treaty is a taxation agreement with Portugal aimed at eliminating the double taxation for residents of Australia and Portugal. It also aims to prevent tax evasion and avoidance and to strengthen economic ties between our two countries.”
“The question is that the bill be now read a second time. In accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier, the time for this debate has expired and I will put the question. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.”
“The question is that the bill be now read a second time. In accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier, the time for this debate has expired and I will put the question. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.”
“The question is that the bill be now read a second time. In accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier today, the time for the debate has expired and I will put the question. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.”
“1) 2025-2026 and Parliamentary Business Resources Legislation Amendment (Machinery of Government Change) Bill 2025 have not passed, all questions necessary to complete consideration of the bills being put immediately; So I do apologise, but that's what the House agreed to earlier. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.”
“The question is that the bill be now read a second time. In accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier today, the time for this debate has expired, and I will now put the question. I know, but we had a resolution. I will get the terms of the resolution. I can see you on there, but I'm just following the Clerk's directions. Unfortunately, Member for Petrie, in accordance with the standing orders, there is no opportunity for debate. I will read to you the part of the motion that was moved earlier today. Moved by the member for Watson, item No. 4 says: (4) immediately following the discussion of a matter of public importance, if the Transport Security Amendment (Security of Australia's Transport Sector) Bill 2024, Supply Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Supply Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No.”
“She reported it but then she wasn't— These are some of the messages from the young women who attended the rally: I was brave and told grown ups about the bad things that had happened but no one is listening to me— and: Grownups told my mum she had to take me to the man who abused me. I told police. I was brave but now I'm scared. The Centre for Non-Violence was there and received several referrals and requests for assistance. As of 25 March 2025, the Australian Femicide Watch tally indicates 14 women have died as a result of family and domestic violence, as well as four children. One life lost is too many. We must do better.”
“On 15 March I attended the 'She Matters: Stop Killing Women' rally in Bendigo. I want to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of the organisers, Bonnie, Kristal and Felicity, and thank them for inviting me to say a few words on behalf of the people of Bendigo. About 100 women and their supporters attended the rally, some of whom shared their stories or the stories of loved ones that they had lost, particularly at the hands of an ex-partner. These are some of the messages that they asked me to share with this place: Don't force my children to see the perpetrator of my abuse— and: We thought she was safe.”
“Any parent who has seen their little person flourish in early childhood education and has had that success of a good transition knows how important early childhood education is. That is why I stand here today shocked that, despite all the research, despite all the personal experiences that women and families are raising in our electorates, we still have the Liberal and the National parties voting against stepping towards universal early childhood education. And we have the Greens political party trying to gag debate in a debate we need to have. This is a moment to put the youngest children of Australia first by opening up and guaranteeing access to early childhood education. I encourage people to support this bill.”
“It is transformative in terms of behavioural issues and confidence-building, and it ensures all our young people, if they get access to early childhood education, enter primary school with largely the same skills and the same opportunities. Being a mum of a little person who has just transitioned from early childhood education to primary school and watching all her peers go through it, it is extraordinary what our educators do. Daisy and her peers, the foundation kids this year at Prep Kids, are so ready; they are so set up. She has had access to good-quality early childhood education every year of her life since nine months of age. Charlie, my son, is going through that journey.”
“They are not committed to rolling out universal access to early childhood education. They still see the sector as largely about babysitting children while mum returns to work. It is not that. That old, archaic thinking should have been put to bed a long time ago. The research is in, and it's been in for a long time: early childhood education matters. It gives our children the foundation skills they need to do well at kinder and go on to primary school. It allows families to identify early-learning difficulties or to have early intervention to help their young person settle into school and education sooner and quicker.”
“We are lowering fees through our changes on cheaper child care, and we're working with fee-free TAFE and making sure we have that pipeline of skilled workers coming in. What the Liberals and Nationals are proposing is extraordinary. They want to scrap fee-free TAFE, which is the pathway to getting more people working in early childhood education. They're opposed to our proposal to scrap the activity test, which is about giving younger Australians that access to early childhood education that gives them foundation skills. They had to be dragged to the table on lifting wages for early childhood educators—and I bet they will scrap that fund the first opportunity they get; they did it the last time they got elected, when we as a Labor government put in place the quality fund. The opposition are not committed to early childhood education.”
“That is why this reform is sensible, that is why this reform is measured, and that is why this reform is needed. It is about putting children at the centre of early childhood education and our childhood subsidy and making sure that every child has access to a guaranteed three days, or 72 hours, a fortnight of childcare subsidy. It gives them the building blocks. This reform is part of a bigger package of reforms our government has moved in early childhood education, which includes paying educators their value and worth. We've put those reforms in. It means making sure that we are building centres where there are deserts; that's a term in early childhood education for when we don't have enough childcare places for children seeking access to child care.”
“They have an interruption to their early childhood education, making it harder for them to transition back in, if that's what the family chooses. I do know of some situations where, when the second child comes along, the first child may come out of early childhood education for the period that mum or dad is at home, but that's not the case for everybody. Most families like to keep their eldest child engaged with their peers, with their teachers and on that path of learning. So the activity test put an arbitrary barrier in place. And I know because I am a kinder mum. I have a three-year-old and I have a five-year-old. Mums and dads try and be creative to satisfy the activity test so they don't have to pull their older child out of early childhood education. We shouldn't put families in this situation.”
“It has an impact on small business when women, who might be returning to work, take extended periods of leave from their employer so that they satisfy the activity test, because that's one of the ways in which you can stay—if you stay on the books somewhere. We also know that it locks people into hours that may not work for their family, meaning parents are having to make tough choices for their family unit at a time when they want less of our regulation and rules and more opportunity and choices for families. Situations where it may be in the best interest of the family unit for mum or dad to stay at home a little bit longer with their children mean they may not satisfy these arbitrary rules around the activity test. If they don't satisfy them, the older child has to be withdrawn.”
“We know from the resource that access to early childhood education gives children the foundation blocks, from the earliest age that they can interact, to be successful, to have the foundational skills to do well in primary school. We know those who from low socioeconomic and disadvantaged communities and backgrounds benefit the most. We know that children from a non-English-speaking background benefit from having access to early childhood education, and we know that children of First Nations communities benefit from having access to early childhood education. What we currently have are various situations where directors in centres are having to have tough conversations with families—particularly if it's their second or third child—about if they satisfy the activity test to keep their first child engaged in education.”
“It has disadvantaged children, denying them the opportunity to attend early childhood education for at least three days. It has created complex conversations and challenging situations for families—in particular, for women. And that's what I wish to highlight in my contribution today. The bill before us today says that all families will be guaranteed three days, 72 hours, of childcare subsidy per fortnight. It will encourage every child to access early childhood education, and it is another step on the way to universal early childhood education. There are multiple different examples of what happens with the activity test and how it interacts. It is all about the parents' activity and not about the children.”
“I'm so pleased that I get to make a contribution to this debate on the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025. The reform before us is really important, and I am disappointed by the delaying tactics of the Greens political party to try and put the vote on this issue. There is a difference of opinion by the political parties in this chamber, which is why this debate is important. I was here, in this parliament, when the previous Liberal-National government introduced the activity test. As the mum of a three-year-old and a five-year-old, I've seen the impact that test has had on families. It has created a complex system in early childhood education with the subsidy and the way in which it interacts.”
“My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to support and secure aviation in regional Australia. Are there other approaches that will leave regional Australians worse off?”
“The committee also supports the three minor treaty actions that have been included in this report. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this inquiry for their time, honesty and participation. Thank you for your valuable evidence. I would also like to thank the secretariat for working to get this done over the summer break. On behalf of the committee, I recommend the report to the House.”
“This chapter establishes a dialogue to advance labour rights; promotes compliance with international labour organisation standards and enforcement of labour laws; affirms a commitment to address forced labour, including in the supply chain; supports workforce development and respect for labour rights in the digital economy; promotes public awareness of labour laws; provides procedural guarantees; and enhances cooperation on labour matters of mutual respect. The agreements also include standalone chapters on women's economic empowerment. The UAE CEPA does not include an investor state dispute mechanism, labour market testing waiver or changes to the Foreign Investment Review Board. The committee supports both major treaties and recommends that a binding treaty be taken.”
“The importance of ongoing and transparent communication throughout the consultation process has been acknowledged by the committee, as have the concerns around labour rights and human rights in the UAE. The committee noted that the UAE is undertaking a process of reform in their practices around labour rights and human rights, and believes these agreements will encourage ongoing productive dialogue on these matters. Some unions and NGOs have expressed concern about the UAE's labour laws; however, it is evident that the promotion of labour protections was a priority in the trade negotiations between the Australian government and the UAE. The UAE has agreed for the first time for a dedicated chapter covering trade and labour.”
“In considering these agreements, the committee held two public hearings and received a combination of 24 submissions. A range of witnesses were consulted throughout the hearings including agriculture, farming and livestock industry representatives, representatives from unions, fair trade investment industry and government agencies. The committee heard that these agreements will boost trade and investment between Australia and the UAE, which is great news for Australian farmers, primary producers and associated businesses. It will make goods and services from Australia cheaper for the UAE, making us more competitive on the global market and making Australia more attractive to UAE traders and investors. Throughout the hearing, some issues were raised and discussed.”
“In addition to tariff removal, the two treaties provide scope for expanding Australia's UAE investment in sectors such as renewable energy, agribusiness, tourism, health and aged care, and resources. Once fully implemented, it is estimated that the agreements will increase Australian export by approximately $678 million per year. These agreements include standalone chapters that encourage environmental sustainability, women's economic empowerment, labour rights and improved animal welfare standards. These agreements are trying something new. In a first for Australia, these agreements also include standalone tractors that encourage sustainable agriculture and food systems, and trade and investment, and economic cooperation with First Nations people.”
“Whilst the agreements were discussed separately in this report, they were considered together throughout this inquiry. This report also contains three minor treaty actions for which an inquiry was not conducted. The major treaties seek to diversify Australian trade with the UAE on over 99 per cent of exported goods—I'll repeat that, 99 per cent of exported goods. It provides for an expanding Australia-UAE investment in sectors such as renewable energy, agribusiness, tourism, health and aged care, and resources. It also provides investors with greatened certainty of access. The CEPA is Australia's first free-trade agreement with the Middle East, and it sets to increase Australian exports by around $678 million per year.”
“On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the committee's report, incorporating a dissenting report, Report 225: Australia-UAE CEPA ; Australia-UAE investment agreement . Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—I'm pleased to make a statement on the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties report, Report 225: Australia-UAE CEPA ; Australia-UAE investment agreement . The major treaty actions considered in this report are the comprehensive economic partnership agreement between Australia and the United Arab Emirates and the agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Australia on the promotion and protection of investments. The promotion and protection of investments agreement is an integral part of the economic partnership.”
“The role of this place is to ensure that we have fairness and integrity when it comes to working with our states to deliver these vital health and education services. It's a choice that people will make about who they believe will deliver better for health care and for education, who will be better for Medicare and who will be better for our public schools. It is a choice that we ask all Australians to make, and I ask people to think about that as their first and second top-tier issue when they go to the election: who will be better for Medicare and who will be better for education? Who will make sure everybody gets the quality health care that they need and the education opportunities that we should all be afforded in a country like Australia.”
“This is why, when I talk about jobs, health and education, I'm asking people to think about who is going to be best to make sure that it is a fair go for all, that we do have fairness in our system and that, regardless of post code, you have access to the quality health services you need, whether that be Medicare urgent care centre visit, or your GP being able to bulk-bill you, or you or your parents having access to cheaper medicines for longer through the changes made to the PBS. Whether it be your children or your grandchildren, regardless of school you choose to send them to, they should be receiving the same amount of public funding. Yes, schools may charge fees on top of that—that is their choice—but they get the same amount of public funding.”
“They say: 'I thought we sorted this out with Gonski. I thought it got done.' No; we thought we had but then the coalition were elected—the Liberals and the Nationals—and this is where we separate. This is where we differ. This is where who you vote for matters. There is an ideology that does drive governments, and the previous government's ideology did not prioritise fairness in our funding and fairness in the funding of our schools.”
“That means that we have now got a commitment to see our public schools get to the schooling resource standard and get to the point where our public schools will receive the same amount of funding per student as our independent and Catholic schools. This is the point I want to reiterate: our independent and Catholic schools were already being funded by the Commonwealth and the state government to this resource standard. The schools that were not receiving the same amount of money per student were our public schools. This is what we have done as a government; we have restored the fairness to public school funding to make sure our schools in Victoria get it. In the conversations I've been having with parents and in the conversations I've been having with local media and with community members, there is a bit of shock.”
“This is why we've started to rebuild Medicare, making sure people can get access to the health care that they need and taking that worry away from parents so they do not have those long waits at emergency. It's not just Medicare and urgent care where we are rebuilding. We are restoring fairness to the way we fund our public schools and our school education system. The previous government, when Malcolm Turnbull was Prime Minister, put in legislation that capped the amount of Commonwealth funding that could go to states for public schools. What we've done in this parliament—and I can remember speaking on it in this very chamber—was to turn that cap into a floor. That's allowing our government to negotiate an increased funding agreement with the state of Victoria.”
“First they cut back their after-hours services because they couldn't get GPs to work back if they weren't being incentivised to do so. Then clinic after clinic dropped its bulk-billing. Some dropped it altogether. Some dropped it for all people unless they were children. For some, it was just by the GPs' choice. So we were in this freefall of bulk-billing, which was collapsing in front of us, and it goes back to what started with the previous government. That is why I'm so proud to be part of a government that is rebuilding Medicare. As a result, we are seeing more GPs bulk-billing in my electorate. We now have an after-hours service which is just around the corner from our emergency department at the hospital and which is helping people get the urgent but non-emergency care that they need. This is what Labor governments do.”
“This is on top of the other changes that we have made to Medicare by tripling the bulk-billing incentive to make sure that concession card holders and children are bulk-billed and to encourage GPs to take up that option to bulk-bill children and concession card holders. We are rebuilding and restoring Medicare. It started to collapse under the previous government, when the now opposition leader was the health minister. I was here at that time. He froze the Medicare rebate, and it was a slow death for many Medicare bulk-billing services. It made it impossible, with freeze after freeze after freeze. With the cost of delivering care going up and GPs not earning more, it put pressure on it. I watched it in my electorate with service after service.”
“So now families who find themselves in the situation that I found myself in with my son, Charlie, do not have to go to ED. There is now an alternative: they can ring up and make an appointment on the day at the Bendigo Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. It is a vital service that can be done as a result of funding from our government, because we prioritise Medicare and we get that families, particularly those with young children, need to have access to those GP services and after-hours services. It is making a difference, and I can hear it in the conversations that I have with the mums and dads at swimming or kinder drop-off. Everybody loves this service, but it's only happened because of a Labor government. It has only happened because we have put the resources into Medicare.”
“As I sat there in the waiting room with my son, who was crying, upset and distressed—I was trying to get little breaks outside for the cool air to help him breathe and settle and then take him back inside, and I didn't want to lose my place in the queue—I looked around the ED waiting room, and the majority of the people waiting to see a GP were in a similar situation. There were older people. Over a third of the people in the room were parents with children under the age of five. Some, who'd been there before, had even taken their dinner and had a packed meal ready, because they knew the wait would be so long. This was the situation in my electorate before the Labor government opened a Medicare urgent care clinic just around the corner, and it opened not that long ago.”
“It's the wonder drug that gives them that ease and helps them sleep and helps them recover.' And it does. When your child gets that steroid, it is extraordinary how much comfort it provides and how well and how quickly they bounce back. But it was a seven-hour wait. Croup is quite a common condition. But, because we didn't have the bulk billing services or even the GP services after hours in my electorate, we were at the ED, and we were not alone—hence why it was a seven-hour wait.”
“At this point, there is no after-hours bulk-billing service or after-hours GP services anywhere in Bendigo, despite it being a regional city of over 120,000 people. The clinic were incredibly apologetic and said, 'Look, unfortunately, Lisa, there's just no space.' I did then get a call back from my GP to say: 'I'm really sorry we can't get Charlie in. What's happening?' I described the symptoms, and he said, 'Your only option is to go to the ED.' So, with a young son at two, my mum came over to take care of my daughter. I'm at the ED with my son. The nurses were fantastic. They did the triage and said: 'We suspect it's croup, but you are going to have to wait for the GP to be assessed to get what we all know helps with young children and croup—the steroid.”
“In late April 2023, just a little under two years ago, my son Charlie had just had his second birthday. He's like all toddlers. They're at child care. They're running around. They do pick up the occasional cold. He woke in the morning, and it was a cold, so we didn't feel the need to reach out to our GP or go to the doctor straightaway. But, as the day went on, the cough got worse, and he started to become distressed. So I did then ring our GP clinic to say: 'Is there any chance that I can get Charlie in? I'm a bit worried that he might have croup. I'm really concerned about this cough.' And, of course, the clinic was full. They no longer did after-hours bulk-billing services. They no longer did after-hours services. They didn't have the GPs to be able to do that on rotation.”
“In looking back of the work of the committee in 2024, I would like to thank the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for their participation in, and contributions to, the 47th Parliament. I'd particularly like to thank the outgoing deputy chair, the former member for Hinkler, Keith Pitt, and I record my appreciation for his practical and collaborative approach to the work of the committee. I will miss him. I also welcome the new deputy chair, the member for Dawson, and I look forward to working with Andrew. Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the retirement of the public works committee secretary, Lynley Ducker, and I thank her for her work for this parliament and for the people of Australia; safe travels, Lynley, you've been a joy to work with. I commend the report to the House.”
“I move: That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate. Question agreed to. The post-implementation report process is not part of the committee's legislative framework. Up to 75 post-implementation reports are outstanding, and, generally, reports are provided a year late. One in four reports have been provided more than two years post-practical completion, obviously limiting the committee's scrutiny. There is also no framework for using or publicly reporting the information in post-implementation reports. This process could be improved as part of the legislative reform that the committee has proposed to the government.”
“Finally, I'd like to thank all the workers that we heard from who are at the front line of this digital transformation who shared their experiences. This is the last EET committee report that will be tabled in this parliament, so I'd like to take a moment to thank the deputy chair of the committee, the member for Longman, as well as all the committee members, for their involvement and the good spirit in which they engaged with the three inquiries we held. I'd also like to take a moment to thank the secretariat of our committee for their hard work through this term. We would be lost as a committee without the organisation, coordination and way in which our secretariat worked with us. I commend the report to the House, and I move: That the House take note of the report. Debate adjourned.”
“Finally, I'd like to take the opportunity to comment on the current reforms that are being led by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Attorney-General's Department. We did hear from these departments during our inquiry and we note the achievements that they've made thus far and fully support the work that they are doing. The findings and recommendations contained in this report were informed by over 60 submissions and 11 public hearings. I would like to thank my committee colleagues for their hard work in this inquiry. I'd also like to extend my gratitude to all the individuals and organisations involved in providing submissions and for their appearance at the hearings, particularly the workers who spoke about their experience.”
“The committee supports the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources's proposed mandatory guardrails to require developers and deployers of high-risk AI to take specific steps across the AI life cycle. The committee recommends that all AI systems used for employment related purposes in workplaces be classified as high risk and should attract these mandatory guardrails. AI and ADM, as well as workplaces themselves, are constantly evolving. So it is a challenge that our workplaces must step up to meet. The committee notes that this may warrant a review of its report's recommendations to ensure that advancements are captured in any future reforms.”
“The update to the Commonwealth Privacy Act and Fair Work Act could be an important step forward to help address these concerns, such as banning high-risk use of worker data like disclosure or sale of such information to third parties, requiring meaningful consultation and transparency with workers on the use of surveillance measures and data use by AI systems in the workplace and enabling within the Fair Work Commission a focus on dispute resolution for complaints about non-compliance with privacy obligations. These are just some of the many ideas in the recommendations that the committee has put forward. Supporting measures will be needed such as raising awareness of employers' obligations, as well as reviewing the resourcing requirements of the Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman to address these concerns.”
“The government must take a leading role and a proactive role in identifying and managing risks like these. Protection of data and privacy remains a primary concern of the government. The committee shares the public's growing concern around the use of data and privacy in relation to AI and ADM in the workplace. For example, the surge in technology enabling worker data collection by employers is a concern, as well as excessive workplace surveillance that is causing widespread harm to families, business and customers, and the lack of transparency and accountability in procedural fairness in employer decision-making.”
“In this report, the committee has made 21 recommendations that focus on maximising the benefits of these technologies in the workplace, clarifying the obligations of technology developers and employers, enhancing privacy and data protection for workers, improving public trust in these technologies and strengthening Australia's workforce and capacities. The committee's report also identified that there are many immense benefits from AI and ADM systems—for example, enhancing productivity and efficiency, improving workplace health and safety, and strengthening compliance. However, the committee is mindful that a poorly developed and improper use of these technologies can exacerbate workplace issues. For instance, these systems can be inappropriately used for invasion of privacy and workplace discrimination.”
“To support this, Australia urgently requires proper safeguards to guide the development and implementation of these technologies. Robust regulation capturing all Australian workplaces and all workers is essential. Increasing investment in research and development into AI and ADM use in the workplace is also needed. The committee found significant gaps in existing Australian regulatory frameworks regarding AI and ADM in workplaces. Worker protections are lacking, especially in regards to data and privacy. Tackling these issues is paramount to create safe and fair workplaces. Government and industry employers and workers have a role to play in promoting safe, responsible and ethical use of AI and ADM in workplaces.”
“From all forms of AI powered self-serve checkouts to app-driven roster allocations and digitally enabled 24/7 workplace surveillance, Australian workplaces are increasingly using these technologies in a variety of functions. Worldwide, government and industries are exploring how to effectively manage emerging technologies whilst enabling growth in innovation. To help future proof Australia and its place in an increasingly competitive and digitalised world, it is essential to have the right frameworks and support in place. This includes for employers, especially small to medium sized enterprises; workers; students; and regulators. It is the committee's view that emerging technologies with specific reference to AI or ADM be embraced by workplaces but in a safe, responsible and ethical way.”