Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is my pleasure to rise today to talk about new employment services, which is the subject of this debate. We went to the election in 2007 on a platform of reforming the antiquated process of Job Network. We were left by the previous government with a network that was out of date, based on one size fits all, bogged down in red tape and incapable of dealing with Australia’s chronic skills shortage. Previously, before my involvement in this chamber, I can recall speaking to copious numbers of employers about their concerns about getting skilled employees, getting people available to fill trade jobs or manual handling jobs. They had genuine concerns about getting people skilled for those positions. And here we are today hearing complaints from the opposition about a job network that is going to be able to fix those skill shortages.

There was a political decision to roll over 95 per cent of business in the last tender of the Job Network in 2006, initiating no improvements. Through 2008 we consulted with employment service providers, employers, job seekers and community groups to hear their views on how we should improve them, and I think we have fulfilled that promise by announcing Job Services Australia, which will tailor service to each job seeker, scrap waiting periods for services for more jobseekers and promote the value of real training that leads to job opportunities. The government have invested $2 billion in this productivity based program which will provide 319,000 training places for jobseekers. I do not understand how any party can oppose or have an issue with those aids to employment growth at a time when employment is critical to ensure we stimulate the economy. It is beyond me. It will cut red tape for providers, freeing them up to help job seekers. It will retain and expand access to specialist services for highly disadvantaged jobseekers. It will be uncapped and demand driven, unlike the previous position, where we had a waiting list of over 20,000 for personal support programs.

Naturally, as we go through a tendering process there are always issues we need to deal with. This process is all about ensuring that we have a more responsible set of employment services for job seekers. They deserve and need the best possible service in these difficult economic times. Fundamentally the reform is not easy. Due to the previous government’s laziness, we had no choice but to undertake a full tender, which has made some changes for providers. However, it is important to reflect and note that there is increased demand for workers with skills and experience in employment services, and the government do not want to see people with those skills lost from the new services. We do not want to see them on the scrapheap; we want to make sure that they are protected and that they are allocated appropriate employment. This is why we are providing resources to the peak provider association, NESA, to establish a website to help new providers seeking skilled staff and help staff affected by the tender allocation during the transition to Job Services Australia, which will begin on 1 July.

The government’s new business adjustment fund will offer a range of assistance to community based organisations that have not gained work under the new tender. The fund will provide grants to help organisations continue to operate while they develop new business plans, including identifying and developing new opportunities, with access to a panel of business advisers to help with restructuring business strategies and identifying new opportunities. No doubt there will be some impact on job seekers. The tender process was designed to throw it out there and see who is in the mix to be able to tender for the positions. The tender process was designed to ensure that job seekers have access to the best reforming employment service providers to give them greater opportunities to find work.

We heard from the previous speaker, Senator Mason, that job creation is not the key here. I put it to you, Mr Deputy President, that it is the key here. In tough economic times we need to ensure that people are employed in appropriate areas for their skill base and to make sure they are allocated jobs that assist and grow the economy. You have only got to look at some of the positioning at the openings where opposition members line up for photo opportunities. (Time expired)