Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities) Share this | Hansard source

That is right. It is a poor imitation actually. It is a discount imitation being dressed up as if it is something brand-new, and we know it is not brand-new. It is a poor imitation of a Howard government program. That is not to say there would not be some benefits from it, but I am keen to make sure that those listening and those genuinely interested in it know what it is we are talking about. This program does provide some training for a nationally recognised qualification, a certificate I or a certificate II in horticulture or conservation and land management. This is a good thing. This is a skills foundation from which we hope those participating may go forward.

One of the things I used to say about Work for the Dole and Green Corps, and program elements within them, was that it was great for people to get involved, even if they did not like it, even if they found that it was not for them. If a career in horticulture, conservation or land management was something a participant thought may have been for them and they found it not to be, that is a worthwhile insight to gain to help them make better choices and better selections around career pathways. If it is found that it hits their buttons that is fantastic. A new sense of purpose and a career trajectory can be kicked off from this program and its predecessors with a nationally recognised qualification. What is worrying though is that one of the great purposes of Green Corps mark 1, rather than the watered-down poor imitation, was that we thought that if someone actually found a job and pursued their career in paid employment that was a good thing and that should be encouraged. All of the program providers I have met down in the greater Frankston-Mornington Peninsula area always have the participants’ best interests at heart but, sadly, under this program design in doing so they could be financially disadvantaged. If a person leaves the program the progress payments that may be ahead are not paid, and there is no scope to replace that person in the program. So, Madam Deputy Speaker, if you and I were partners running one of these programs and we found we were able to steer one of our participants into a job opportunity perhaps related to horticulture, land conservation or land management and the great outcome was we could actually get someone into a job, as program providers we would be financially disadvantaged. I do not think that is the kind of incentive we should be providing or signal we should be sending for program providers.

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