Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

At least one can laugh at oneself. Australia's economic recovery is well underway. In fact, the recent ABS jobs data shows that employment increased by over 29,000 jobs last month, including an increase of 59,000 full-time jobs. This, of course, is a direct result of the Morrison government's economic recovery plan, which has provided unprecedented levels of support to Australian households and businesses. As our economic recovery continues, it is important that we provide Australians who've lost their jobs or who've had their hours reduced with the support they need to get into fulfilling employment. That is why, today, we've made a number of announcements in relation to the strengthening of mutual obligation requirements. The Morrison government firmly believes that the best form of welfare is a job. That is why we will put in place the necessary measures to ensure that those who don't have a job at the moment are doing everything they can to become work ready or, alternatively, if they are offered suitable employment, are able to take up that suitable employment.

We've made a number of changes, including to the number of job searches that a person needs to undertake. We're also establishing an employer reporting line so that people who actively say no to suitable work are able to be followed up by job providers or, alternatively, the department. We're also allowing people to participate in short training courses—for example, a course on JobTrainer. It's all about ensuring that we have the right mechanisms in place so that those people who are on welfare are becoming as job ready as we can get them to move into work.