Portfolio — 27 August 2026

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Ms Rishworth, today launched the Lived Experience Panel, positioning it as a central element of the Government's once-in-a-generation reform of employment services [TA-260827-dewr-3fded250dcad].

The panel attracted substantial public engagement. More than 4,000 Australians applied to participate. After assessment, 156 members were selected, with 14 forming a dedicated working group [TA-260827-dewr-3fded250dcad].

The panel met for the first time today and will operate over the next 12 months, drawing on members' experiences to inform the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of employment services [TA-260827-dewr-3fded250dcad].

The Minister said lived-experience insights are "at the heart of the reforms" and will guide policy toward a better understanding of barriers and more responsive support [TA-260827-dewr-3fded250dcad]. The portfolio's approach emphasises co-design with service users, integrating lived-experience evidence alongside stakeholder and First Nations consultation to shape a more individualised employment services system [TA-260827-dewr-3fded250dcad].

The announcement signals the Government's intent to embed direct service-user input structurally into the reform process rather than treating it as supplementary consultation. The scale of applicant interest — over 4,000 for 156 places — indicates strong community appetite for involvement in reshaping employment services. The 12-month timeframe for the panel's work suggests the reform design phase is ongoing, with the panel's outputs feeding into both initial design and continuous improvement rather than a single fixed consultation milestone.