Received

Relaxed rules so that seniors can work extra hours without losing their pension entitlements was one of 36 concrete outcomes agreed on at the jobs and skills summit.

Under the changes, pensioners will receive a one-off income credit so working seniors can earn an extra $4000 over this financial year without losing their pension.

At the moment, pensioners can earn $7800 a year before their payments are docked.

The policy is expected to cost $55 million.

"It's a time-limited measure we hope spurs some additional workforce participation among older Australian workers," Dr Jim Chalmers told reporters after the summit.

With housing shortages a key issue impacting the mobility of the workforce and the ability to boost migration, Dr Chalmers also said the government planned to attract more funding from super funds into housing projects.

"We will make it possible for $575 million in the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to invest in affordable housing by attracting financing from super funds and other sources of private capital," he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a contribution from the Commonwealth government could mitigate the risk of investing in these assets.

Dr Chalmers said he'd had "really encouraging conversations" with super funds about investing in affordable housing by providing a "little bit of extra incentive".

"When you go right around Australia and they talk about their labour and skill shortages, the next thing they say is that 'we need to have places for people to live'," Dr Chalmers said.

The government also committed $3.3 million towards a new pilot program to help people with disabilities find work and advance their careers.

The program will be delivered in partnership with the Business Council of Australia.

Also announced at the summit - attended by more than 140 community, government, union and business leaders - was a higher permanent skilled migration cap, which will be lifted to 195,000 places for this financial year.

The permanent skilled migration cap is currently 160,000 and will be boosted by 35,000 places in 2022/23.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the change could mean thousands more nurses and engineers settling in the country.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the lift was needed but he was uncertain about the government's ability to deliver its promise.

"We just need to see what they actually deliver because Labor's great at making grand announcements but quite often in two or three or six months' time you'll find they haven't lived up to what they have announced," he told reporters.

In an address to the summit, Nationals leader David Littleproud - the only coalition member to attend the event - welcomed the focus on permanent residency rather than temporary visas.

"I want to see the next generation of migrants come to regional Australia, not pass through," he said.

Mr Littleproud also called on the government to relieve HECS debts of doctors, nurses or other key members if they moved to the regions to work.

Funding to clear visa backlogs and shorten wait times was also announced.

The $36.1 million will go mostly towards more visa processing staff.

The government made some other commitments for immediate action, including allowing university graduates to work in Australia for longer.

The government also committed to $1 billion in joint federal-state funding for fee-free TAFE in 2023 and a boost to the skilled migration cap.

As well, workplace relations laws will be modernised to include making bargaining "accessible for all workers and businesses".

Mr Albanese said more was achieved over the two days than he hoped.

"It has been truly an exercise in collaboration that has reinforced my government's approach towards the way that good government should function," he concluded.

© AAP 2022

Parramatta have given themselves a big shot at ending the NRL's longest premiership drought after beating Melbourne 22-14 to claim the last spot in the top four.

In a high-stakes, winner-takes-all battle for fourth spot, the Eels pulled out 65 minutes of finals-like defence before conceding three late tries on Thursday night.

It was enough to wrap up the coveted top-four finish, leapfrogging Melbourne, who finish fifth - their lowest placing since 2014.

Parramatta's win sets up a qualifying final against minor premiers Penrith at BlueBet Stadium next weekend, with the victors to advance straight to a preliminary final.

Defending premiers Penrith, regarded as the competition's best team, will still enter as favourites but they've twice fallen to the Eels already this season.

Without a premiership since 1986, Parramatta have regularly stumbled in September in recent years with a 2-6 record in the finals over the past decade.

But after the end to their 2022 regular season, the 23,578 long-suffering Eels fans at CommBank Stadium finally had reason to believe.

Brad Arthur's men look a different team to those that have fallen in the second week of the finals in five of the past six years.

"We're playing well at the right end of the year, we limped in last year," said the coach.

"We have a massive opportunity come next week. It's up to us now whether we grab the opportunity."

They defended stoically on Thursday, three times forcing the Storm over the sideline as they peppered the tryline and only conceding points late.

Halfback Mitch Moses even pulled off one of the hits of the night on Kenny Bromwich, leaving the second-rower concussed and forcing an error as the Storm went on the attack in the second half.

The Eels pack have responded after being dominated by South Sydney last month, with Reagan Campbell-Gillard playing the first half unchanged as he and Junior Paulo topped 160 metres each.

Five eighth Dylan Brown also looks in good touch, bouncing through giants Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Tui Kamikamica to score the Eels' first before Will Penisini also bagged a four-pointer.

But the try of the night was reserved for Maika Sivo, as the Fijian powerhouse ran onto a superb long ball from Clint Gutherson and ran 40 metres to score.

The Storm were uncharacteristically poor, now facing the prospect of trying to become the first team in the NRL era to win the title from outside the top four.

They made errors at all the wrong times, with the absence of halfback Jahrome Hughes felt heavily.

At one stage down 20-0, Harry Grant, Nick Meaney and David Nofoaluma each crossed in the final 15 minutes to make it three tries apiece.

Under-fire forward Asofa-Solomona also earned the ire of officials again, put on report for a late shot on Moses after previously copping five fines this year.

The result leaves Melbourne out of the top four for just the second time since 2006, with a must-win clash against Canberra or Brisbane next week.

"It's hard to (win it from outside the four)," Bellamy said.

"To win the comp, you have to win four games in a row and then the last three that you're travelling.

"It is difficult without a doubt, but it's going to get done at some stage."

© AAP 2022

Removing "unnecessary limitations" to single and multi-employer agreements has been flagged as a priority at the jobs and skills summit.

Speaking at the summit on Thursday, Employment Minister Tony Burke identified issues with the Fair Work Act he hoped to address immediately.

These included providing better access to flexible work arrangements and unpaid parental leave so families can share work and caring responsibilities.

Mr Burke also wanted to make the 'better off overall' test "simple, flexible and fair".

The government also committed to setting up a forum to bring together unions, businesses and government to solve issues in the construction industry, such as mental health and safety concerns.

He pointed to areas of ongoing work, including improving the awards system.

Both unions and business groups agreed the industrial relations system is failing workers and businesses, but the prospect of invigorating multi-sector bargaining remains a sticking point.

To get wages moving, Australian Council of Trade Unions head Sally McManus said the country needed new modern options alongside enterprise bargaining, including multi-employer or sector-wide bargaining.

Business Council of Australia president Tim Reed reiterated the organisation's preference to focus on fixing bargaining at the enterprise level.

"If we really want to sustainably get real wages growing, we need to consistently get productivity improvements," he said.

Mr Reed called for an industrial relations system that enhances innovation and productivity, and said that "primarily happens at the enterprise level".

The two groups have found common ground on several issues in the lead-up to the summit, releasing their shared goals for the event on Thursday.

The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia also agreed on shared priorities with the ACTU, including an open discussion on collective bargaining.

COSBOA chief executive Alexi Boyd clarified her position at the summit, telling attendees she did not support any measures that would "force, mandate or remove the autonomy of small businesses" and was "not interested in sector-wide compulsory" deals.

On the ACTU's suggestion to enable more multi-employer or sector-based bargaining, Ai Group boss Innes Willox said he was not convinced of the need for "radical or risky" reform.

"There is real concern that such a proposal will risk exposing our community to crippling industrial action across crucial sectors of our economy, and nobody wants that," he said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says legislating multi-employer bargaining won't open the way for small businesses to be unionised, leading to greater strikes and economic shutdowns.

"I don't agree with that conclusion," he told the ABC's 7.30 program after the first day of the summit.

"It's equally untrue to say the whole business community is not in favour of multi-employer bargaining.

"There's not unanimity about the way forward here. Our objective is to try and find sufficient common ground on ways to make the enterprise bargaining system work better for workers and employers."

The government also announced the first stage of its election commitment to deliver 450,000 fee-free TAFE places over four years.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the national cabinet had agreed on the creation of 180,000 fee-free TAFE places next year.

Mr Albanese said the $1.1 billion package would be jointly funded by federal, state and territory governments.

While the details are yet to be nutted out, the funded training places will be focused on areas with skills shortages.

Women, First Nations people and young people will be prioritised.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan warned of the unintended consequences of fee-free training.

"Well, nothing's for free - let's just make that clear - ultimately, the Australian taxpayer pays for it," Mr Tehan told Sky News.

He also questioned how private vocational providers would be affected.

The summit also featured a discussion about the jobs of the future and pathways to modernise the economy.

"We rightly pride ourselves in the role we played inventing wi-fi and the solar panel," Industry Minister Ed Husic said.

"But when we hit the full stop of that last sentence, we don't seem ready for the question that rapidly follows: what's next?"

The summit concludes on Friday.

© AAP 2022