Michelle Grattan writes in The Conversation (15.3.17) that Greens leader Richard Di Natale is calling for a reimagining of the way Australians approach work, as his party prepares to unveil a policy calling for compulsory four-day working weeks.
‘Greens leader Richard Di Natale is calling for a reimagining of the way Australians approach work. “What we’re saying is: let’s have a look at some of the models around the world,” he says.
‘“It’s absolutely possible, as we’ve seen in places like Sweden, where in the aged-care sector people are working a six-hour day rather than an eight-hour day, but they’re actually delivering a productivity dividend. They’re happier. They’re healthier at work. They’re actually producing just as much as they would be doing in an eight-hour day”.
‘With the future likely to see many jobs lost to automation, the Greens are keeping an open mind to the notion of “guaranteed adequate incomes”.