Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Will the minister please inform the Senate how jobactive is helping more Australians move from welfare into work?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Lindgren for the question. Those of us on this side of the chamber believe that the best form of welfare is a job. That is why everything that this government does is motivated by our commitment to see higher growth, because higher growth means more jobs. Indeed, since forming government there have been over 300,000 jobs created on our watch.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On my left.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In order to help Australians move from welfare into work—and really, Senator Carr, you do not want me to start on your history in relation to manufacturing.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr and Senator Cameron, cease interjecting.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was under you, Senator Carr, that the manufacturing industry in Australia was destroyed. It was under you, Senator Carr, that, whilst there was growth in other industries, in the manufacturing industry, under you, jobs were lost—you personally. Your legacy to the Australian people is job losses. You can come into this chamber and you can scream—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Order, Minister. Senator Carr, I am going to ask you to cease interjecting. You have been continually interjecting throughout the minister's answer. And, Minister, could I ask you not to direct your comments across the chamber but to the chair.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President, but, when Senator Carr yells out interjections like that, I have to say that, when he was the minister in this place, under his watch employment in manufacturing in Australia fell by 127,600, or by 12.1 per cent. I believe that, as part of a government that is committed to growing jobs in this country, I have an obligation to correct the record. That is why we have invested, as a government, $6.8 billion in the jobactive program, which commenced on 1 July this year. We currently have 66 jobactive providers delivering services in over 2,000 locations and servicing a case load of approximately 758,000 people. This is a government that, unlike Senator Carr— (Time expired)

Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any evaluations which highlight the benefits to job seekers of Work for the Dole, a key component of the jobactive program?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I am. Work for the Dole is of course the centrepiece of the new mutual obligation arrangements that form part of the government's jobactive program. My department has carried out an evaluation of Work for the Dole participants who are undertaking the pilot programs. Some of the results of this evaluation have been recently released, and they showed that 78 per cent of participants said they had had the opportunity to learn new skills; 79 per cent agreed that routine in getting up every day and going to work was actually good for them; 81 per cent of participants said that they were treated like a valuable member of staff. Participants also said that they had learnt and/or developed soft skills such as confidence, self-esteem, teamwork, communication and improved workplace behaviour.

Work for the Dole recognises the principle that unemployed people should be working, preferably for a wage but, if not, then for the dole. It is the people who have participated— (Time expired)

Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate how jobactive compares to previous programs and whether improvements have been made?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On this side of the chamber, we very much want to see outcome-driven job services programs, and that is why, under the jobactive model that we have brought in, there has been a fundamental change in the funding model. Under the former government's Job Services Australia model, two-thirds of the service provider fees were geared towards service delivery. Under the jobactive program, payments to employment providers are focused on payments for actual employment outcomes. Additionally, funding for providers is focused on making individuals job ready rather than putting them into training for training's sake. Under the former government's Job Services Australia program, putting somebody in another training program just for the sake of training them was actually considered an outcome in the same way as getting them employment was. Under this government, what we want to see is actual outcomes realised by way of a job, and that is what— (Time expired)

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.