Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to start by quoting from a letter of 14 February this year. It reads:

I doubt anyone here could dispute those words. What I just quoted from was a letter from Carmen Auer, chair of the Partnership Brokers National Network, to the Prime Minister before the budget was handed down, pleading for some of these very successful programs, which are being conducted exactly along the lines that I mentioned, to be maintained in our society.

I bring this to a local level. BREED, Blacktown Regional Economic and Employment Development, is a program in my area, with Stephen Frost as managing director and a great team, including Sandra Ongley. Their programs include the School Business Community Partnership, structured workplace learning, the Transitioning Youth program and the BREED business centre. They have asked a very valid question: 'With youth unemployment at unacceptably high levels, can the government advise what evidence base was used to inform it that axing all youth transition funding in the budget would be a saving into the future?'

The reason for asking this question is that one of BREED's programs—and I only want to mention one of them today—has an axe over its head. BREED unsuccessfully attempted to get it included in the federal budget as part of its campaign, including the letter I have just quoted from. That was backed up by more than 600 businesses supporting the programs that it provides. Federally funded via the Department of Education is the School Business Community Partnership program, referred to as the Partnership Brokers program, which is now only funded until 31 December this year. This program is an adaptation of the Howard government's Career Advice Australia program launched in 2006. There has been funding of a variety of youth transition programs dating back to at least the Hawke-Keating years and this has continued under successive governments—until this budget.

Locally BREED employs four partnership brokers on the program, including Sandra Ongley. They have significant community partnerships. Two examples from Lalor Park, which has parts of some of the more disadvantaged communities that I represent, are the Woodturners and the Lalor Park Trust Bus. Between 2010 and 2013—here is the evidence—BREED assisted 15,400 local young people with career direction, often re-engaging them in school with a career focus or into employment. The cost per student engagement dropped from $203 in 2010 to $150 in 2013 due to economies of scale and industry support. An independent government funded evaluation demonstrated that there was a $5.50 return on every dollar of government money invested in the Partnership Brokers program due to industry and the community partnering with schools to deliver outcomes identified in consultation with schools and youth.

To put it simply, high levels of youth unemployment are having a devastating impact on young people and our economy. Locally, in my electorate of Greenway, youth unemployment in June this year stood at 17 per cent. It was seven per cent only two years ago. The need to do everything possible to enhance the employability of young people has become more crucial than ever, not only for getting a job but for providing long-term career opportunities. It is here that the youth transition programs that organisations such as BREED have put into action, supported by the community, have made real inroads into turning young people's lives around. They have given them exposure to the world of work and connected them to employment opportunities. I would like to quote the words of a young man enrolled in a small motors course that was conducted collectively by Youth Connections, TAFE Outreach, Marist Youth Care and BREED. He said:

without this program—

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