Charles Darwin University Submission to the Treasury Employment White Paper - November 2022 - Submission and Recommendations

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn

Charles Darwin University (CDU) provides a November 2022 submission to the Treasury Employment White Paper, focusing on labour force participation in the Northern Territory and Northern Australia. The submission argues that a capable workforce and a vibrant training, education and research ecosystem are fundamental enablers of employment. It addresses demographic considerations, including international migration, and highlights unlocking potential in remote areas, especially for First Nations, through place-based approaches. CDU also outlines targeted recommendations spanning incentives for older workers, migration incentives, NT skilled migration targets, and pathways for retaining international student graduates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Summary of submission and recommendations

Demographic considerations for Northern Australia

Education and training as a fundamental enabler

Unlocking potential in remote Australia, especially for First Nations

Place-based approaches

Charles Darwin University Submission to the Treasury Employment White Paper November 2022 Table of Contents Australia’s most connected university 3 Summary of submission and recommendations 3 Demographic considerations for Northern Australia 5 Education and training as a fundamental enabler 7 Unlocking potential in remote Australia, especially for First Nations 8 Place-based approaches 9 Page 2 of 10 Australia’s most connected university Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) vision is to be Australia’s most connected university by being courageous and making a difference in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia and beyond. Being a dual sector university allows CDU to meet the education needs of Territorians in campuses in Darwin, Alice Springs, Palmerston and Katherine and in study centres in Nhulunbuy, Jabiru and Tennant Creek. CDU has a proud history of delivering on country in some of the NT’s most remote locations, bringing training to communities who need it in places such as Galiwinku, Maningrida, Borroloola, Wadeye and Hermannsburg. At the heart of CDU is to engage First Nations students and support their attainment of vocational and higher education. The NT spans approximately one sixth of Australia’s landmass and yet is home to just one per cent of the population, of whom 30 per cent are First Nations peoples. CDU is committed to reaching students from remote areas, who are predominantly First Nations students. We embrace the vitality and resilience of the Northern Territory, which is the focus of the nation’s most ambitious plans for future development – to unlock the vast potential of Northern Australia and to engage with our neighbours in the Asia Pacific. Due to our location, we are in an enviable position to contribute to the future prosperity of Northern Australia through innovative and impactful training, education and research. CDU supports the NT Government’s ambitious goal of reaching a $40 billion economy by 2030 by leveraging the strengths of the NT and its people. CDU has established itself as an exciting and progressive research-intensive university with a regional focus that prioritises the complex issues facing Northern Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Research Institutes at CDU including the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, the Menzies School of Health Research, the Northern Institute, Energy and Resources Institute and their collaborative research networks, provide a strategic framework for research engagement. CDU’s research outputs consistently outperform for its size and are evaluated as being well above world standards in areas of importance to Northern Australia. In 2022, Stanford University included 24 CDU scientists within the top two per cent of most Influential Scientists in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings list CDU within the top 400 universities internationally, with CDU research ranking at 348 globally. Within Australia, this places CDU 28th of 37 ranked universities, despite being one of the smallest. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, saw CDU ranked within the top 200 participating universities in the world. Summary of submission and recommendations The NT in particular, and Northern Australia more broadly, has for decades been considered a land of great untapped potential. A renewed focus in recent years, especially in light of Australia’s geopolitical national interests, necessitates developing the North. The NT Government is rising to the challenge and has an ambitious but achievable agenda to lift both the NT’s economy and its population base. A capable workforce is critical to this agenda and a vibrant training, education and research economy is a fundamental enabler. Page 3 of 10 In line with the Employment White Paper Terms of Reference, this submission focuses predominantly on labour force pa

FAQs

What is the main focus of CDU’s submission to the Employment White Paper?

It focuses predominantly on labour force participation, using CDU’s expertise in the education and training environment of the Northern Territory.

Which demographic issue does the submission highlight?

It covers demographic considerations, including the case for international migration in remote and very remote areas.

What approaches does the submission propose to unlock employment potential?

It emphasises unlocking potential in remote Australia, especially for First Nations, and supports place-based approaches as a key solution.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn