E006: The Bigger Picture of Workforce Management: Neighbours, not Vacancies

Australia's oldest state cannot hire its way out of its workforce problem, and neither can most of regional Australia. Using Tasmania as a metaphor for the national challenge, it examines: an ageing population, a shrinking local pipeline, and a global contest for workers that is intensifying, not easing. The data is sobering, but the conclusion is human. The real task is not filling vacancies on a spreadsheet, it is helping people belong, because belonging is what turns a workforce into a community, and a community is the only thing that makes people stay. Selected Bibliography.Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing, 2021. ABS.National, State and Territory Population, December 2025. ABS.Overseas Migration, 2024-25. ABS.Net interstate migration, Tasmania, 2023-24. ABS.Labour Force, Australia, July 2026. ABS.Population, demography and projectionsAustralian Government Centre for Population. (2025). 2025 Population Statement. Commonwealth of Australia.Tasmanian Government. (2024). Tasmanian population projections, 2024 (medium series). Department of Treasury and Finance.Kocar, S., Horton, J., Denny, L., Seivwright, A., & Lester, L. (2022). Building Population Resilience in Tasmania. Institute for Social Change, University of Tasmania.Kocar, S., & Seivwright, A. (2022). What's in a place? Drivers of migration to and from Tasmania (Report 59). University of Tasmania.Eccleston, R., et al. (2026). Tasmania chapter, in Australian Politics and Policy.Skills, jobs and trainingSkills Tasmania. (2024). Tasmanian Skills Plan. Department of State Growth, Government of Tasmania.Jobs and Skills Australia. (2024). Employment Projections 2024-2027.Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. (2025). North and North West Tasmania Local Jobs Plan. Commonwealth of Australia.Commonwealth Department of Education. (2013-2022). Selected Higher Education Statistics.Nursing, aged care and rural workforceDepartment of Health and Aged Care. (2023). Nursing Supply and Demand Study 2023-2035. Australian Government.Morris, D., et al. (2025). Aged Care Workforce Shortages: rural and remote shortfall analysis.KPMG. (2026). Aged Care Market Analysis 2026.Jessup, B., et al. (2024). Towards a home-grown rural health workforce: evidence from Tasmania. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 32, 976-986.Jessup, B., et al. (2025). Place of origin and clinical placement among University of Tasmania pharmacy graduates. Australian Journal of Rural Health.Fortabong, R., et al. (2025). Rural Nursing Workforce Sustainability: a scoping review.Retention and attritionO'Keefe, V., et al. (2025). Retention supports in the aged care sector.Tan, A., et al. (2025). Trends in retention and attrition across nine professions. Ahpra.Thwaites, C., et al. (2023). Factors Impacting Retention of Aged Care Workers: a systematic review.Victorian Government. (2024). Victorian Health Workforce Strategy.ARIIA. (2026). About workforce retention. Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia.Housing and education enablersKidston, C., et al. (2026). Housing affordability and the teacher workforce, Hobart.Hyslop, S., et al. (2023). West Coast Housing Study. UTAS Policy Exchange.University of Tasmania, Vice-Chancellor. (2024). A big year for higher education.Global and international supplyWorld Health Organization. (2025). State of the World's Nursing 2025. WHO.World Health Organization. (2022). Health workforce in India. WHO Country Office for India.World Bank. (2025). Indonesia Growth and Jobs Report. World Bank.Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). (2026). Workforce Development Plan 2026-2035. Republic of the Philippines.Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad. (2025). Malaysia Critical Occupations List 2024/2025.Skills England. (2026). Skills England Annual Skills Report 2026. Department for Education.World Bank. (2025). Unlocking Nepal's Growth Potential. World Bank.