This government is fully aware that their policy regarding unemployed people under 30 will cause enormous hardship. This is shown by the fact that they have allocated $229 million in the budget to deal with the expected 550,000 job seekers who would need emergency relief over the next four years.
ACOSS Chief Executive Officer Dr Cassandra Goldie said:
“It makes no sense for the government to pursue a policy that will cause this level of hardship and does little to give young people a sense of hope and self worth through getting a foothold into a real job.
Frontline agencies working with young people looking for work have made clear that depriving young people of payments and employment services will make it tougher for them to get ahead, especially those with no family support or from in families living on low incomes.”
Dr Goldie said the focus should be on opening up job opportunities for young people, in collaboration with business leaders, investors, local communities and social services.
“A more effective way to address youth and long-term unemployment is to invest in overcoming skills and capability related barriers to work,” she said. “Instead of penalising young people the government should invest in programs we know to be effective like Youth Connections which has been discontinued. They should also increase the availability of places in cost-effective wage subsidy programs like Wage Connect.
It’s disappointing that the Budget has cut funding to important career counselling and vocational programs such as Youth Connections, which has assisted over 74,000 young people since 2010. Ninety-three per cent of participants in this program were still engaged in study or paid work six months after completing the program in 2012 with most no longer receiving Centrelink payments. Similarly, 47 per cent of people out of work for over two years assisted by the Wage Connect wage subsidy scheme retained their positions after the program ended, which is more than double the results achieved under the work for the dole scheme”
The government has also announced that it will pay subsidies of up to $10,000 over two years to employers who hire mature workers over the age of 50. It is worth remembering that young people trying to enter the workforce will be competing with these experienced workers (and many others) who will also be seeking employment. Like these people…..
June 14: WOODSIDE Petroleum is looking to cut up to 800 jobs, or more than 20 per cent of its workforce, as part of a sweeping review of its business.
June 13: OceanaGold will cut 60 jobs from its Reefton gold mine as operations at the site wind down, approximately
June 12: About 250 Ford Australia workers will lose their jobs at the car manufacturer’s Broadmeadows and Geelong factories, it has been revealed.
June 11: Australia Post has told its workers 900 jobs will go as part of a restructure that will split its post and parcel businesses.
June 10: As part of the overall response to federal budget cuts of $115 million which are expected to cost 500 jobs across the entire organisation, CSIRO management has revealed a plan to scale back research and cut science jobs in the Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) division.
May13: Federal budget puts Canberra on the razor’s edge with 16,500 public service jobs cut.
May 8: THE 2200 Qantas staff to be axed by June’s end will include 1000 managers and backoffice workers, with a further 500 jobs gone by the end of the year. The program includes 5000 job losses in total.
May 8: Toyota Motor Corporation has foreshadowed up to 160 additional Australian job cuts at its Victorian technical centre to coincide with the company’s car manufacturing operations shutting in 2017.
April 15: The closure of car manufacturing could cost Australia nearly 200,000 jobs and $29 billion in lost economic output, a new report predicts.
March 14: Up to 300 applicants are fighting for each public service job vacancy in Canberra and the main public sector union says more than 5000 job cuts have been announced since the Abbott government took office.
March 10: Technology giant IBM’s local managing director, Andrew Stevens, has conceded further Australian redundancies may be needed as part of a major repositioning of the company. Last week media reports said 500 local workers could face the chop, but that is a conservative figure compared to unverified estimates of more than 1000 this quarter, from anonymous company insiders.
February 25: The reports outline the Coalition’s intention to make it easier for employers to hire 457 visa workers and for major projects to import what they need from China with no obligation to prove they have given local industry an opportunity to bid through the Australian Jobs Act.
January 17: A QUARTER of a million Australian jobs have vanished since the start of the global financial crisis – with 22,000 jobs lost last month alone.
29/11/2013: About 1,100 jobs will be lost when the global miner Rio Tinto shuts its Gove alumina refinery in the Northern Territory next year.
5/11/2013 – Mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has announced it will cut up to 200 jobs at its Burnie plant.
25/10/2013 – Centennial Coal is cutting 120 jobs from its operations across New South Wales, with the majority of positions to come from the Mudgee and Lithgow areas.
22/10/2013 – Gold Fields has cut 60 workers from its newly acquired Lawlers operations, and a forthcoming operational review of the company’s newly acquired Yilgarn South mines has got employees worried more jobs will go.
22/10/2013 – Mining giant Rio Tinto has signed a back-office outsourcing deal with US tech player IBM, which is believed to be worth up to $100 million and will see the company shed between 700 and 800 positions globally.
3/10/2013 – Almost 16,000 workers have been lost from the mining industry as companies rush to slash costs amid a perfect storm of high costs and tumbling prices.
26/9/2013 – In the mining industry, job vacancies fell by almost 40% to 4,900 in the latest survey from a year earlier.
18/9/2013 – Up to a quarter of the nation’s Centrelink call centre workers are set to lose their jobs before the end of the year. Pensioners, the disabled and families will feel the pain of drastically reduced customer service as 1100 to 1200 customer service workers are shown the door by the Department of Human Services.
29/6/2013 – Dark clouds continue to gather over the nation’s coal industry. Job cuts at dozens of foreign and locally owned mines in Queensland and NSW total more than 10,000 since the start of last year.
26/6/2013 – Peabody Energy Corp and Glencore Xstrata will cut around 500 mining jobs in Australia, a company official and trade publication says, as a global glut in coal supply pushes down prices.
20/6/2013: IBM cutting up to 1500 jobs in Australia as cloud computing upsets server market.
If Tony Abbott is the worker’s best friend, just imagine what the useless twat would do if he hated us.
Kate Lee
This government is not doing this to help those people it is doing it to drive down wages and reduce conditions so that business can reduce their costs so they make more profit
Two problems
1. Drive wages down and less money to spend on consumer goods. Less consumer goods less sales. Less sales less profit. Duh!
2. Less wages less government taxes from workers. Government will then need to increase taxes on the businesses and rich folk
Sorry Kaye.
In the light of this article, you may like to read the link below.
This entire system is a sham and designed to firstly make money from those unfortunate enough to be unemployed and to also act as a punishment regimen for the ‘crime’ of them being so.
As you rightly point out, this government has been working hand over fist to destroy jobs, not create them.
Despite this, they continue to ignore the fact and insist that the unemployed search for jobs which don’t exist!
Talk about Alice in Wonderland, or is that Tony and Joe in Blunderland? Criminals!
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Well said Kaye Lee.
What we continue to see is the total lack of sensibility from this government. There is no way that any of their current policies will ever get through the senate because they have no plans for those that have been retrenched from long term re-employment to the re-training of these people.
There has been cuts & closures of the TAFE systems that are the providers of the retraining, so how the heck will people ever get to be re-trained in whatever if businesses are closing their doors or taking their businesses overseas.
It reminds me of about 20 years or so ago that the LNP went down the same road giving private enterprise the go ahead to provide re-training. At least then there was some government assistance but this time?
All of the cuts that this government are implementing will only exacerbate (as has been commented by Stephen) the downward spiral of the economy.
The other concern I have which has once again raised its ugly head is that TA could take us the down that war path again. Once again we have to face the lies, the fear that this man & his cohorts will try ram down our throats to justify the decisions they will make.
It will be up to us all to let all of the sitting members of both houses what we really think of this dreadfully inept government. We need to protest loud & long.
If you view the current government as a criminal organisation who are using politics as a means to steal the ‘common wealth’ for themselves, their actions are much clearer. I believe with a change of government an ICAC investigation should be launched into the current government over misappropriation, corruption and fraud. All monies should be with held from any member who lose their seat until the investigation is complete!
“There is no way that any of their current policies will ever get through the senate because they have no plans for those that have been retrenched from long term re-employment to the re-training of these people.”
@ Sandra
Don’t bet on it. Clive is now starting to show his true colours. He has sucked a lot of people in with his socialist rhetoric but a read of the PUP policies on their website reveal them to be 100% conservative. If he has been lying to the public since the budget (and I think he has), then there won’t be enough voters in the Senate to block it.
Yes, the Coalition is really just biding its time till July 1. I think any dreams people have of the Senate being our “saviour” are rather naive. Our only hope is that Clive’s ego is more powerful than his conservative worldview and that he’ll be prepared to give the Government a hard time just for the political capital it may afford PUP.
All jobseekers need to send their resumes and job applications – all 40 per month – to their respective MPs asking for a job in their electorate offices. And maybe even to the PM and the Treasurer. They are so sure there are “jobs out there” – well maybe we can ask them to find some for us ? My son has started with his local MP. Perhaps if they receive a mountain of emails and letters every day from every job seeker in the country they just might get a glimpse of the issue that is facing people and how many 40 applications per month ACTUALLY is.
Another Ride On The ‘Youth Engagement Merry-Go-Round
https://newmatilda.com/2014/06/16/another-ride-%E2%80%98youth-engagement-merry-go-round%E2%80%99
““The government is currently developing plans to consult with young Australians using a more focused and targeted approach.”
@ Dan
I’ll bet they are – just like they consult everyone else. Here come the Young Liberals to put forward their ignoramus opinions without any data to back it up and the LNP will run with it.
The 2013 Young Liberals conference came up with three suggestions:
Reinstate cracker night
Random illicit drug testing for long term unemployed and welfare recipients
Remove Australian content quotas for free-to-air television.
They are so in touch with the problems facing young people nowadays.
@Kaye
Well we can hope they blow themselves up with fireworks.
Keitha,
What would be really cool is if some clever programmer could come up with a website to enable something of that nature. Fill in your cover letter etc, then send the form letter as an email by selecting whomever is your local member from a drop-down menu or some such – state, federal, whatever. Few clicks and your done. I think they’d get the message pretty quick.
Meanwhile,
“One in 20 travellers given 457 visas”
TWO-THIRDS of the migrant workers on 457 visas have taken jobs that did not have to be advertised to Australians.
The figures also show half of Australia’s migrant workers are recruited onshore, with one in every 20 backpackers last year receiving a 457 visa to stay working here for four more years.
The Immigration Department expects to grant 241,100 “working holiday’’ backpacker visas this financial year. Assistant Minister for Immigration Michaelia Cash yesterday defended the number, challenging unemployed Australians to do the work instead.
A minority of employers preferred migrant workers who were “pretty easy to control’’ because they faced deportation if they lost their sponsored jobs.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/one-in-20-travellers-given-457-visas/story-fn9hm1gu-1226937796382#
Ummmm….Michaelia, aside from the pejorative term “challenge”, how were our unemployed to apply for jobs that weren’t advertised? You really are a contender for Mirabella’s crown!
All that hair gel has soaked into her brain!
I work on the frontline, in welfare provision, AoD, housing etc where I see young people on the dole getting paid more than myself and my wife. Many of the young people I see will not come for an appointment before 12 noon, as they have stated to me that they are not out of bed before then, one even couldn’t make an appointment at 11am Christmas eve as that’s when he started to party for Christmas. My wife and I are low income workers we get less then $42,000 per year before tax, we have a family on the way but we get out there and work, and we are not eligible for a healthcare card. Our system is broken, I find it hard to justify that people on the dole should get more than people who work. Many of my clients are on multiple drugs when they should be out in the workforce earning their own money. I see many jobs in the geographical area I work in that never gets filled while I have a client who tells me that they have no intention of looking for work. I am not comfortable with withdrawing the dole from people who do not look for work but what else are we meant to do. The dole and our system needs to be harsh enough to encourage people to work but merciful enough to provide for people needs.
I understand work is hard to get, my wife has only 21 hours per fortnight, she has been looking for more work for two years now. Applying for hundreds of jobs, walking shops and business’s dropping of CV’s but with not much success – the point is she still gets out and looks for work – more then I can say about many of my clients.
Our family will be hit by this budget but I recognize that we need to do something about this system that is broken. Many of us receive more from government then we give, me included. This can not keep happening. I hope and pray that all Australians can band together and work. I know things are tough, My wife and I are living it tough, there is a lot of need out there I see it every day as I show grace and mercy to those I help, I offer them service not based on what they don’t do but what they need. We need solutions not people ranting and complaining, I see a government willing to tackle the issues that I see in our community that needs addressing.
@Brett
Then let the government go after the ones that don’t want to work. Don’t paint them all with the same brush.
@ Lee
That’s what I understand the government is doing.
Brett,
Can you say what work you actually do? Your post smells of bullshit, I have to say, especially the first part.
In the short time Abbott and his band of mindlessly divisive morons known as the Australian Government have ruled many tens of thousands of people have become unemployed by decisions made by this government.
These people were all gainfully employed before the rancid guillotine of Abbotts Goons slashed the workforce and released these people to an unsure future.
Every day there are more and more media statements of government policies of the harshness and demeaning processes the unemployed will face as they attempt to gain employment again, let alone the new jobseekers fresh from education as they begin their working life.
Just what does this government expect people facing these draconian new rules will have to do survive.
Export Abbott not Refugees
@Brett, that was a very logical and sensible comment. Well said.
Brett,
If you and your wife earn a combined gross income of $42,000 then you are eligible for some Newstart assistance which makes you eligible for a healthcare card from everything I can see about eligibility for such things.
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/income-test-allowances
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/centrelink/health-care-card/eligibility
@ Dan,
I work in social welfare Frankston, Victoria. I can assure you that my post is the truth, I work 30 hours and got paid $19 per hour. I am a right wing Christian conservative who believes in medicare, I believe the minimum wage is too low. I believe that both sides of politics need to come together as the right nor left has the monopoly on good ideas and solutions. I believe in a fair go and honesty.
I don’t need to give you more details of what I do or my financial circumstances, that’s what is partly wrong with this system. I do find it an offence that you accuse me of fabricating my post. I work where there is trauma everyday, the people I see are hurting and need help I have no doubt about that, some of those people hurt because of bad choices they have made and others are hurting because of where they find themselves by no choice of their own. Whoever comes to me for help are helped without bias.
You choose to believe me or not Dan but that’s my story all true, whether you believe me or not doesn’t change the facts.
@ Katy Lee
No we don’t qualify, we have been to centrelink a number of times and we are just a few dollars over the qualifying amount.
Not according to their websites
For partnered recipients: If your partner earns income above $894, your payment is reduced by 60 cents for every dollar of income over $894. Likewise, if your partner receives a payment from us, your income may affect their amount.
For each recipient
Fortnightly income
over $250
Reduction in payment
$75 plus 60 cents for each dollar over $250
Eligibility for a Health Care Card
You will be automatically issued a Health Care Card if you are residing in Australia and you get any of these payments:
• Newstart Allowance
Brett, by my calculation, (and I don’t work for Centrelink, just trying to work out their rules)
You earn $1140 a fortnight and wife earns $475 a fortnight.
She could claim 460.90 – {(1140-894)x0.6 + (475-250)x.6 + 75} = $103.30 a fortnight, but more importantly, qualify her for the health card.
Brett,
This statement threw me:
At face value that statement is nonsense. Do you mean people getting multiple different payments because they have kids? If so, you really ought to have said that.
I’m not sure if this would be helpful. I tried it making certain assumptions and your wife got more than I said. Give it a go.
There’s an online estimator on the Centrelink website that will give you an idea of what you are eligible for in different circumstances, check it out here;
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/online-estimators?utm_id=7
Brett,
pretty sure those sums don’t add up regarding unemployment benefit recipients receiving more than your $570/week gross wage, unless you are throwing in supporting parent for multiple”dependents, public housing etc, which goes beyond the “dole”.
I’ll check with my bio-brother, who facilitates welfare provision.
It is a moot point with regard to the changes in legislation anyway, because the issue is not provision of welfare, it is the non-provision of it.
6 months, no money, with no options but to bum or steal.
The mouse must turn the treadmill ever faster, and navigate the mazes, but now there is no cheese, just the promise of later sustinance.
As for the credentials of your proffered resume, you are sketchy with credentials of experience in welfare provision, but happy to disclose your religious alignment.
One is relevant, the other not.
Brett,
single, with a dependent child or children $552.40
If you and your wife are getting $1615 a fortnight, that is a lot more than the dole, and as I have indicated, I believe you are entitled to claim.
Brett, you might want to redo your sums – the cut off for a low income HCC is over $46,000 so you should qualify and a couple on newstart are only getting $24,000 pa so I don’t see how they are better off than you. They still have bills – rent, electricity, food but they are doing it on $18,000 less than you and your wife.
I note that in this topic and the other one the moment facts and figures come out, just like their coward hero Abbott, they run away and disappear.
Odd that someone who purports to work in welfare doesn’t know what details of the Income Test for Low Income earners. Given my previous work as a disability advocate one of the first things to advise is where to get help.
I don’t know how they could make 457s any easier to obtain. Theres a certain recruitment agency I know of which consists of 40 young ladies, 30 who are british on 457s. The majority of these jobs are fairly low skilled (there isnt a specific degree you do in recruitment), some have bachelors degrees but some are purely administrators – all earn between 75 – 120 k (non commission). Almost every single one arrived here first on a working holiday visa, then it was very easy to transfer them onto a 457 visa. The whole advertising for 30 days is a con as it is, its too easy to get past. The thing that really bugs me is the ease to transfer to permanent residency if you have a 457 in a “skilled” occupation….because the whole point of the skilled occupation list was there is supposedly a temporary shortage of Australians. I know of a recruitment girl who was here less than 2 years and got it – working holiday visa – 457 – permanent residency. I know of a canadian IT worker who was here for less than one year and got permanent residency for himself and his south african girlfriend (they then swiftly broke up, he moved back to canada and she remains). I’m all for taking on people from overseas, but for something like recruitment that can be learned on the job in my opinion, it makes no sense.
Gillard closed a number of important loopholes, Abbott re-opened them…why? a favour to his mates..of course.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/rort-fears-as-457-visa-loophole-reopened-20140311-34kgr.html#ixzz34nHRbB71
Valid point, Jay.
What level of expertise can not be filled by the domestic labour market, and how does this reflect on the structure of our education and innovation?
Do we want our domestic semi-skilled administration filled with imported, first world economic employment shoppers, an, for example, our medical profession filled with developing world (third rate) degrees gifted to favoured offspring of the privileged?
Why the shortfall in homegrown talent and knowledge?
I much prefer an immigration quota based on human compassion, rather than domestic laziness and external economic aspiration.
457 visas provide a compliant workforce. If they get sacked they get deported – hence they don’t complain about 14 hour shifts for below award wages and no entitlements.
The Federal Government is being asked to investigate claims that 457 work visas are being abused at Gina Rinehart’s $10 billion Roy Hill iron ore project in the Pilbara.
Aside from being asked to do work outside their visa conditions, the CFMEU alleges many of the staff are working more than 84 hours a week and being paid as little as $16 an hour.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-04/cfmeu-alleges-457-visa-workers-exploited-by-roy-hill/5367816
100,000 youth producing 40 applications per month means 4 million applications per month. The remaining 620,000 unemployed (20 applications per month) would deliver a further 12.4 million applications each month, giving a grand total of around 16 million applications per month.
With those kinds of numbers each month, the private sector and government will urgently need more staff to process, sort and respond to those applications, as well as keep records in case of Centrelink checking on the individual unemployed. It’s a veritable miracle of job creation
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?%2Fweblog%2Farticle%2Fa-miracle-of-job-creation-its-genius%2F
Has anyone else thought that this maybe one way this government is going to fudge the unemployment figures in a big way.
What are the criteria for being counted in the unemployment numbers? Do you have to be getting the dole and if you aren’t does that mean you won’t be counted.
Bingo instant massive drop in youth unemployment, which has sky rocketed under this government.
Been watching. Great responses. Another LNP plant strikes again. Love the reasoned responses and background research. Come back Bret we need you to finish your little chat.
What no money for six months equates to your lazy drunken Dad. May work for you but sounds like shite to me.
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@Stephen Tardrew
Agree.
Anyone else seen this………?? Great satire demonstrating what a load of crap this government’s policies are…
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?%2Fweblog%2Farticle%2Fa-miracle-of-job-creation-its-genius%2F
Möbius Ecko,
It’s what John Howard did; redefined unemployment, and imposed strict provisions upon welfare receipt to ensure breaches and suspensions.
Less people on unemployment benefit means less unemployment, apparently.
More magical maths.
I can’t believe there’s a major spelling error in the HEADLINE. I haven’t read the article, because I just can’t get beyond the fact that I’m seeing ‘spose’ instead of ‘supposed’. Is there no editor? Was this article written by a real journalist?
No Bec…the article was written by me. I’m not real. Thanks for your input though.
Good for you on your spelling staunchness, Bec(not Rebecca, or Becky?).
Personally, I won’t listen to anything anyone with a nasal voice, folded arms, crossed legs or a bad toupe has to say.
Such fundamental flaws render any value of their information or opinion worthless.
Stand your ground, fellow pedant!
.
Ps, Luvved da bogan slogun hedline, Kaye Lee
There’s no need to shout, Bec.
Was my attempt at speaking orstrayhun…apparently I need to work on my accent
<
I still think this is great :
"The carbon tax is an annual impost of $6 billion.
Six billion divided by 23.4 million Australian population divided by 365 days a year equates with the grand total of SEVENTY CENTS PER PERSON PER DAY. HOW MUCH MORE LIMITED CAN IT BE? This economy wrecker will ravage the entire economy by 70 cents a day, this is what Abbott would have you believe."
Pen of hrba
The Government will provide Defence with $122.7 billion over the Forward Estimates.
122.7 billion/4/365/22.68 million= every single one of us, man woman and child, is wasting $3.70 a day on defence
Australia’s 10 million workers would each contribute about $5000 a year to sustain defence spending of two per cent of GDP which is the Coalition’s aim – we are at 1.8% now.
“DEFENCE has done so well from a tough budget that it has raised concerns the money might be wastefully splurged on expensive new equipment. ”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/aspi-warns-of-defence-spending-spree/story-fn3dxiwe-1226936056305
That is exactly how Howard dealt with the unemployment rate.
He moved half the people who had been unemployed into tafe courses and voila reduced unemployment figures.
The criteria for the unemployment figures ONLY count those receiving Unemployment Benefits, not those on disability (who may still be looking for work) or those who are working part-time (but can’t find full-time work) or those who are studying while they look for work or those who can’t find work but don’t qualify because their partner or parents earn too much.
The real numbers are higher than the official numbers but don’t you worry about that Abbott has a plan to halve the youth unemployment figures :/
Sorry Venetta you are wrong. Unemployment is calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and has nothing to do with Centrelink or the number of people claiming benefits.
The ABS asks random questions about whether people have worked in the last period (fortnight, I think?) and if so, for how long, and whether they were seeking additional hours of work during that time.
This means that unemployment statistics do not (at least theoretically) count “dole bludgers” because all those people would have to say is “I didn’t look for work” and therefore would not be counted in the labour market statistics at all.
Hmm Ian, thanks for pointing that out, I’ve always assumed it was the other way. I love the chance to do some reading but i can’t find more info. Can you help me find more information on the percentage that actually claims unemployment benefits?
The Department of Social Services have the figures about people claiming welfare. Not sure how that equates to the figures the ABS produce.
http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/01_2014/sp11_pdf_na.pdf
Okay so the DSS report lists approx. 634,000 people on Youth Allowance (excluding students) and Newstart in 2012 and in July the same year the ABS with an unemployment rate of 5.2% lists 628,000 people as unemployed. Those numbers roughly equate and the ABS states that they don’t count people as unemployed if they have worked at least 1 hour in the last week so I think I was right in the first place 😛
Oh and thanks Kaye Lee