Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation and Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to ask the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations a question about the General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme. There is an increase of approximately 20 per cent in the budget for this program this year. Is that because the government is predicting more businesses will go out of business in the next 12 months? How many more businesses does the government expect will use this scheme in the next 12 months? What types and sizes of businesses does the government expect will fail in the next 12 months?

I would also like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister, in her capacity as Minister for Education, the following: can she advise us when phase 2 of the Productivity Places Program will commence and, specifically, how many existing workers will receive training under this program and in what period? And can she update us on when the agreements will be concluded with the state and territory governments?

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