23 June 2025
Life Without Barriers warmly welcomes Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ announcement to convene a National Productivity Roundtable in August, recognising it as a vital step toward shaping a more inclusive and resilient economy.
“We congratulate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers on this important initiative and commend the Government for their leadership in shaping a fairer and more resilient economy through inclusive dialogue,” said Claire Robbs, Chief Executive of Life Without Barriers.
“We believe the care economy must be central to any national conversation on productivity,” said Ms Robbs.
“Australia’s long-term prosperity is tied to how well we support, empower, and enable care workers, unpaid carers, and people with disability to fully participate in society and the economy.”
Life Without Barriers is calling for three key areas of focus:
Care Sector Productivity and Workforce Participation: Elevating the pay, status, and career pathways of the direct care workforce will enhance service quality and boost workforce supply. Supporting unpaid carers also yields productivity dividends through increased workforce participation and improved wellbeing.
Disability Employment Reform: Inclusive employment pathways for people with disability can unlock a transformative source of productivity. Strengthening employer incentives, expanding social enterprise models, and addressing systemic barriers are critical steps — particularly within the care sector, where opportunities for inclusive hiring are substantial.
NDIS Sustainability and Efficiency: A strong and sustainable NDIS is vital to both social equity and economic efficiency. Improving coordination with mainstream services, reducing administrative burden, and investing in workforce capability can deliver better outcomes for participants while strengthening the broader care ecosystem.
“We look forward to working with Government and other stakeholders to ensure that the voices of care workers, carers, and the people we support are heard and valued in this national productivity conversation,” said Ms Robbs.
Media Enquiries
Catherine Waterworth
Call: 0466 554 042
About Life Without Barriers:
Life Without Barriers is a registered Australian charity and social purpose organisation, delivering innovative, community-based programs to more than 25,000 people from diverse community groups across the country. Life Without Barriers is based in more than 440 communities delivering services to strengthen families, disability, out-of-home care, aged care, mental health, youth justice, homelessness, and support for asylum seekers. www.lwb.org.au
Related links