Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

The minister did not actually answer my question. I asked: have you done an evaluation about whether or not these programs will work and whether your measures will work for people under the age of 30? You are talking about people who would be under the age of 30. Some of them already have an education and some of them may already have completed an apprenticeship, but the factory might have closed down, their employer might have made people redundant and, through no fault of their own, they are out of work. They may already have skills and a degree, and you are saying to them that, if they cannot find a job within six months, they have to do Work for the Dole. You are also saying to them that, on the six months with no payment, they will have activity tests. Can the minister also tell me, as I asked in my original question, whether the activity tests are required during the period when they will be without payment? How on earth does the government expect job seekers with no money to complete activity tests and apply for up to 40 jobs per month?

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