Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

Part of this question was asked yesterday, and I do have a response. For job seekers, the paramount consideration in the transition is to connect smoothly to the provider. Senator Fifield knows that. Those providers are going to be helping to assist them in the new and enhanced services. The level of job seeker disruption is expected to be lower than for comparable transitions in the past, such as at the time of the introduction of the current Job Network contract in 2003. In that round 82 per cent of job seekers required a new or changed provider compared to the 47 per cent that Senator Fifield raised yesterday. In 1998, when the job services turned over, 100 per cent of jobseekers required a new provider. Imagine the chaos then.

Job seeker transition arrangements include allowing job seekers to remain with their current provider where possible or offering them an alternative provider in their local area. In this transition it is estimated that around 48 per cent of job seekers require a new or changed provider. Current personal support program providers will have been asked to organise an introductory meeting with the current participants and their future Job Services Australia providers. More job seekers have the opportunity to be assisted—