In the lead up to the 2022 federal election, the Roundtable proposes a set of research-informed policy benchmarks against which election proposals for improving work, care and family outcomes in Australia can be assessed.

In this publication, the authors provide a set of policy recommendations that put respect, work, care and equality at the centre of public life to support a strong and inclusive recovery and build the foundation of a resilient economy. The benchmarks provide research-informed policy recommendations that recognise and support the interconnections of work and care across society and the economy in five key domains: decent work; high-quality care infrastructure and a sustainable care workforce; gender pay equality; safe and respectful workplaces and  institutional support for decent work and decent care. These policy domains are connected and together inform the institutional context within which households make decisions about work and care.