Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib. Minister, how many job seekers not involved in home insulation will now miss out because the Rudd Labor government has had to redirect funding from existing programs to sort out the home insulation mess it has created?

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

I thank the senator for that question. Yesterday, the government did introduce a package for the insulation workers.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much new money?

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

It was a package of $41 million, Senator. In terms of that money we are providing 7,000 training places—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cormann interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You have asked your question, Senator Cormann.

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

Seven thousand training places will be provided to workers who lose their jobs because of the changes in the policy, or need to be transitioned into the new program. I have, on a number of occasions, been upfront and said that there will be job losses because of the changes. There is no doubt about that. But at the same time, as all good senators know, this was a scheme that would run out some time next year. So a transition would have been required. And, as Senator Cormann has pointed out, 4,000 of the training places were provided last year as part of the government’s green jobs package to provide assistance for workers as they transition into new areas of employment because, as we know, this scheme was always going to run out at some stage. But in terms of the package, just the same way as the government stepped in during the global recession to support jobs—when, in just the same way, the coalition senators voted against the stimulus package supporting 200,000 jobs—the government has stepped in with 25 co-ordinators on the ground working with businesses to try and ensure that their workers can transition to the new program.

What Senator Cormann should do is talk to his leader, who will not even guarantee funding for the new program. He will not even guarantee funding for the new program. So if you are concerned about jobs then give support to the new program and give these workers some certainty. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask as a supplementary question: how much of the $41.2 million the Prime Minister and the minister announced yesterday is actually new money as opposed to money coming out of the existing Jobs Fund and Productivity Places Program? Also, how will the new Renewable Energy Bonus program work and how long will it last for?

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

Senator Cormann has rightly pointed out that, I think, the equivalent of $11 million is coming out of the Jobs Fund. That has been pretty clear. The Prime Minister made it clear yesterday that that will be coming out of the local jobs component of the Jobs Fund. It was made clear. In terms of the training places, again 4,000 of those have already been identified. They were put forward by the Prime Minister last year. In terms of the remainder, they are coming out of the structural adjustment training places. It is clear that, again, we are working to support those workers who lose their jobs in the sector—those workers who require transition. If you are so concerned about jobs, give those workers some certainty, give those businesses some certainty and support the new scheme. Talk to your leader, talk to your shadow Treasurer and support the new scheme. The truth is you opposed the— (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. Clearly it is all existing money. I ask the minister: what will the workers who have lost their jobs through the termination of the insulation program be doing between now and the start of the new program? Can the minister guarantee that the Labor government’s hastily prepared $41.2 million will recompense 100 per cent of the wages of affected workers? When will money provided under the $41.2 million package begin to flow and cease to flow?

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

I have already made it clear that there will be many workers who will lose their jobs. There will be; that is a fact. Again, this was an industry and a bonus that would have ended some time next year, and there was always going to be a transition for many workers. The government is doing everything it can with this program, providing $41 million to help those workers transition to the new scheme.

In terms of the package, training places are being provided to assist those workers who are already with an insulation company and those workers who have lot their jobs. Senators on the other side—coalition senators—if you want to support these workers do not just ask questions here; go down the hall, talk to your leader and get him to support the new scheme, because that is the only way to defend jobs in the insulation industry. It is the only way. They are crying crocodile tears over there. They did not support the stimulus—200,000 jobs protected, supported, and here they are— (Time expired)