Steering unemployed young people into caring careers might just pay off

Beaches, barbecues, cricket and … industrial relations.

The parliamentary year ended with a heated and unresolved argument over workplace changes that will continue through the summer months for those who are bothered to put down their beer and pay any attention to it.

Workplace law isn’t often a barbecue-stopping conversation, but Anthony Albanese will be trying to keep as many voters as possible tuned in. The penalty rates of frontline workers, he contends, are in grave danger. The Government says that’s utter rubbish, to put it politely.

To deal briefly with the facts of the matter: the dispute is over a proposed change that would allow businesses “impacted” by COVID to strike agreements that leave some workers worse off than they…