Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor will oppose this motion. We acknowledge the concerns raised in this motion and have been speaking about these issues for many years. This is particularly true in relation to safety of the government's core of jobactive programs such as Youth Jobs PaTH and Work for the Dole. However, given the fact there are currently inquiries before the Senate Education and Employment References Committee that are looking at issues particularly relating to safety in work, including the exploitation of general and specialist cleaners working in retail chains for contracting and subcontracting cleaning companies, and the prevention, investigation and prosecution of industrial deaths in Australia, we do not believe it is necessary to establish yet another inquiry. As such, the proposed inquiry is ill timed. Labor does not support the government punishing people for being out of work instead of preparing them for a job.

Question agreed to.

An honourable senator interjecting—