Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

In relation to the amendment requested by Senator Patrick, I understand that this amendment takes out the age limits in relation to this program. Labor are very concerned about employment scarring for young Australians in the context of this recession. We, therefore, don't support this amendment. However, I very much want to place on record today that the government is not doing enough for older workers and that amending this legislation will not fix that issue substantively. Why? Because it provides a wage subsidy for everyone, not the targeted older workers who are more likely to experience that age discrimination if they're over 50. So lifting that for people who are 40, 45 or 48, who have good prospects of finding new work, doesn't address the particular question of employment scarring in older generations of people. In that context, we don't support this request for an amendment.

I do highlight that the government has a great deal of work to do. It draws attention to the Restart Program, which is completely undersubscribed and has a miserly amount of money attached to it compared to this scheme. It highlights the fact that the government has not interrelated its jobactive employment program and the disability employment programs with this particular scheme that will be transacted between business and the tax office.