New minister Brendan O’Connor made the government’s priorities clear with jobs and skills bills the first legislation in the Reps on the first working day

The bills cover the end of the previous government’s labour market advisory body, the National Skills Commission and create its replacement, Jobs and Skills Australia. But Jobs and Skills as legislated now will not be around for long – its permanent structure will follow consultation, notably at the Jobs and Skills Summit, next month.

What won’t change is the government’s overall intent to bring unions back into the employment and training tent, including them in consultations, with the states, training providers and employers.

“This partnership approach will ensure Jobs and Skills Australia’s advice matches and responds to the evolving demands of the economy, Australia’s workforce and learners and supports the training system to deliver the skilled workers Australia need,” the explanatory memorandum states.

Overall JSA will be a big deal indeed. Tasks will include

* leading research and analysis, harness insights from industry, undertake workforce forecasting and prepare capacity studies for emerging and growing industries

* considering the resourcing and funding requirements for registered training organisations to deliver accessible quality VET courses which will assist students and learners and better support government’s investment decisions in the sector.

All of which requires deep policy knowledge and political nous. The former may come from staff of the National Skills Commission moving into the new agency. We will have an idea who will provide the latter after the Summit – the government surely knows what it wants already but will have to politely listen for a bit before announcing whoever it wants in the job.