'Willing to Work': report of inquiry released

Australian Human Rights Commission, 2 May 2016:

Speaking today at the launch of Willing To Work, Age and Disability Discrimination

Commissioner Susan Ryan ... described the Willing to Work report as “an historic first”.

“We have never had such a clear or detailed national picture of what happens to older workers and those with disability in the labour market.

“The exclusion of capable and skilled older people and people with disability from the workplace results in a massive waste of human capital and productivity. It drives increases in public expenditure that in the long term are not sustainable,” she said.

Key recommendations include:

• Establishing a Minister for Longevity
• Developing national action plans to address employment discrimination and lift the labour force participation of older people and people with disability
• Expanding the role of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency to become the Workplace Gender Equality and Diversity Agency
• Introducing national education campaigns to dispel myths and stereotypes about older people and people with disability
• Adopting targets for employment and retention of older people and people with disability in the public service.

The Report also recommends improvements to existing laws and policies and presents a suite of strategies for businesses and employers to improve employment of people with disability and older people.

The Australian Human Rights Commission hopes to see a speedy adoption and implementation of these recommendations, so that all Australians who are willing and able to work can do so.

• Commissioner's Foreword and links to download Willing to Work