Albanese has sympathised with people affected by the pressures COVID-19 has put on aged care, childcare, teachers and hospitals.
“A healthy economy depends on healthy people, and education is our most powerful weapon against disadvantage, the best long-term generator of economic growth and productivity,” he said.
“Over the next decade, we’ll need more educators and more carers and more nurses in every part of our system.
“We won’t do that with broken institutions and burnt-out staff.
“We can’t just stem the bleeding and hope for the best. We can’t return to business as usual when we know that business as usual was simply not good enough.”
Albanese said reform is needed for “renewal”, meaning keeping healthcare workers and teachers in industries, in the health and education sectors.
He didn’t say what this reform looks like.