The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport's inquiry into local government funding will hear from Jobs and Skills Australia tomorrow.
The Committee wants to better understand labour market conditions, workforce skills, and training needs across Australia, in the context of local government financial sustainability.
Committee Chair, Mrs Fiona Phillips, said "the Committee is particularly interested in hearing about trends in the attraction and retention of a skilled workforce in the local government sector, including impacts of labour hire practices."
Jobs and Skills Australia's 2025 Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey found that 58 per cent of employers in remote and very remote Australia reported difficulty recruiting in their most recent recruitment rounds. Common problems included distance, competition for workers, and lack of housing. In regional Australia, the biggest issue was often a shortage of suitable candidates.
Jobs and Skills Australia report that an ageing workforce, ongoing skills shortages in key roles, and heightened recruitment challenges outside major cities are increasing pressure on the capacity of local governments to deliver services. These challenges are made worse by regional labour market conditions which require localised and tailored solutions.
The Committee also wants to look at the issues identified by the agency in its Jobs and Skills Roadmap for Regional Australia – Phase 1 report (released in July 2025). The report shows that the skills needs of regional and remote areas are often different from those of major cities, and that future skills lists should more explicitly reflect these differences.
The Committee will examine the barriers local governments face in building and maintaining a sustainable workforce, and opportunities to improve productivity and coordination of local government.
Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the Committee's website.
Public hearing
Date: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Time: 11.00 am – 12.00 pm
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra
A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.
