Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I must say that the Treasurer brought down a budget that is good for jobs. It builds on the 250,000 jobs that have been created over the life of this government, at some three times the rate of job creation that occurred under the last year of the Labor government.

We on this side realise that many young job seekers are struggling to enter the workforce. As I get around the country, young people are telling me that they cannot get a job because they do not have experience and they cannot get experience because they do not have a job. That is why we have introduced the National Work Experience Program, to provide young people with four weeks work experience in a workplace so that they can demonstrate to a potential employer just what they can do and the benefits that they can bring to that workplace. That is why we are making wage subsidies more flexible—so that it is easier for employers to take on young people. The $6,500 youth employment subsidy will be available sooner and more flexibly and will be better tailored to meet the needs of employers. That has to be good for our young people.

Some young people will struggle greatly to get into the workforce. That is why we have also introduced the National Youth Employment Strategy, a strategy that invests $330 million to assist young people in getting a job. The $212 million Transition to Work Program provides services such as coaching and pre-employment support. We have $106 million to support vulnerable job seekers—such as young people with mental illnesses, which is a barrier to employment. That is why we have a greater focus on helping early school leavers. All of this is on top of the $6.8 billion Job Active program that implements an enhanced Work for the Dole program right across—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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