Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Turnbull government is helping young Australians get off welfare and into work?

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

I thank Senator Hume for that question. Again, the Turnbull government firmly believes that the best form of welfare is a job. That is why as a government we have so heavily invested in ensuring our youth who are on welfare but also looking down the barrel of long-term welfare have an opportunity to have a go in a workplace and get a job. You would be aware of the Turnbull government's Youth Jobs PaTH program. This is about preparing our youth to ensure they are ready for a workplace, letting them have a foot in the door and undertake an internship—the trial stage—and then it would lead to employment: to hiring them. Businesses—in particular, small and medium businesses—are hiring young people as a result of PaTH. It is a great shame that those on the other side fought us every step of the way in relation to getting our youth off welfare and into a job. Those on the other side are quite happy to have young people in Australia rely on the welfare drip.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Slave labour.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've got no credibility on anything.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a load of nonsense.

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

In fact, with the screams coming from the other side, one would almost think they encourage our youth to stay on welfare. Guess what? We will not do that. We will put in place the policies to ensure that those young people, in particular those in streams B and C, are able to get the skills they need so they can undertake an internship, have a go in a workplace and get a job. Can I give you some statistics. Since the commencement of the program, over 11,000 young people have completed employability skills training. They now have skills they would not have had but for the program. In excess of 13,000 youth bonus wage subsidy agreements have commenced. Our youth are, therefore, getting off welfare and into work.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, a supplementary question?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister please describe the benefits the PaTH program is providing young Australians, their families and their communities?

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

I've had the opportunity to personally meet a number of amazing young people who have secured work through the PaTH program, and to also talk to the business owners who have taken them on. For example, a young man, Dylan, from Queensland, said that the mere thought of applying for a job and going to an interview was enough to make him feel physically ill, but since he undertook the PaTH internship at a local resort, he hasn't looked back. Even though he had no prior experience, his internship has turned into a job and he now gets to do what he loves—that is, work outdoors. Another great example is a business owner by the name of Sherryll. She owns a panel-work business in Moe in Victoria. Sherryll was willing to take on a young girl by the name of Cheneille through the Youth Jobs PaTH program. As she says, she feels very lucky to have found her. Cheneille is now on track to do an apprenticeship, which is a great outcome for her and the employer.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, a final supplementary question?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any other proposals to help young Australians get into work?

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

Yes, I am. The PaTH program—prepare, trial, hire—is just one of the many measures this government has to ensure that, when we say the best form of welfare is a job, we actually mean it. We also have our Empowering YOUth initiative. What this does is help long-term unemployed young people improve their skills and, by improving their skills, you improve their employability. We also have the Transition to Work program. This provides support to improve the work readiness of those aged between 15 and 21, helping them into work, an apprenticeship or a traineeship. We also have the ParentsNext program, a program that was so successful in the 10 trial sites that we made a commitment in the last budget to roll it out nationally. This program helps people who have become parents re-enter the work force. Again this is a government that, when it says the best form of welfare is a job, puts in place the policies to ensure that.