Entry-level jobs face immediate automation risks as artificial intelligence reshapes employment markets, though the shift could also deliver higher wages and shorter hours for remaining workers, the Australian government warned on Thursday.
Major Australian companies are rapidly restructuring their workforces due to technological changes, with Qantas cutting 850 jobs this week across finance, human resources, and marketing roles. National Australia Bank recently announced 2,500 layoffs, while Canva slashed 1,200 positions in restructuring efforts partly linked to artificial intelligence growth.
Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth released a new government guide addressing artificial intelligence in employment, urging employers to consult staff early. Rishworth warned that younger workers, older employees, First Nations individuals, women, and people with a disability face disproportionate impacts from the technological shift.
“Will they receive support and opportunities to build new skills? Will their knowledge and expertise still be valued? Will they share in the benefits being created?” Rishworth told a business forum in Sydney.
Former industry minister Ed Husic questioned who ultimately reaps the rewards of automation during a parliamentary hearing examining the major four banks. Husic asked whether productivity gains will translate into secure jobs and higher wages or merely lower labor costs and higher corporate returns.
The government best practice guide acknowledges severe potential hazards tied to artificial intelligence adoption, including intrusive worker surveillance, poor rostering practices, and intensified performance standards. Basic task automation often leaves human workers managing more complex duties while facing increased algorithmic monitoring.
The Reserve Bank of Australia reported seeing little evidence of widespread labor market disruption so far, though it noted tentative impacts on clerks, computer programmers, and call center workers. The central bank also warned that datacentre construction and artificial intelligence investments are actively fueling inflation.
Greens leader David Shoebridge criticized the federal government for watching from the sidelines while major corporations reduce staff numbers. Shoebridge demanded statutory protections against job cuts and workplace surveillance rather than relying on voluntary corporate guidelines.
“When the government talks about asking employers nicely to consult staff, what it is really saying is that a worker who loses their job to an algorithm will have no legal recourse at all,” Shoebridge told a parliamentary hearing examining the big four banks.
The government guidance highlights entry-level work generally as the most vulnerable category, while the Reserve Bank points to tentative disruptions specifically affecting clerks, computer programmers, and call center workers.
The Greens are demanding that profit-sharing, shorter working hours, and protections against workplace surveillance be written directly into federal law rather than left to the discretion of individual employers.
Qantas announced 850 job cuts in finance, human resources, and marketing, National Australia Bank announced 2,500 layoffs, and Canva cut 1,200 positions amid restructuring efforts tied to technological shifts.
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