Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

In the time that I have remaining, I will deal with both of those issues: PaTH and the billion-dollar Employment Fund. I might deal with that one first.

The Employment Fund is a demand-driven and flexible pools of funds. Jobactive providers use these funds to help jobseekers get the experience and skills they need to find and keep a job. Over the life of the jobactive contract, the government is investing $1.1 billion into the Employment Fund. Between July 2015 and 31 March 2017, $518.1 million has been credited to the Employment Fund. Early Employment Fund expenditure was conservative, but provider utilisation of the Employment Fund has increased since the start of jobactive. A similar pattern was observed with the Employment Pathway Fund under Job Services Australia.

It is important to note that jobactive is performing better than its predecessor program, Job Services Australia, in 2014-15 and is helping more jobseekers to find work. In particular, the proportion of job placements converting to a 12-week outcome has increased to 53.7 per cent under jobactive compared to 49.1 per cent under the JSA for 13-week outcomes. The proportion of job placements converting to a 26-week outcome has increased to 36.2 per cent under jobactive compared to 31.1 per cent under JSA. Just under half—48.1 per cent—of all jobseekers were employed three months after participating in jobactive. This has increased compared to 42.8 per cent, which was achieved under the JSA.

I have about 1½ minutes to deal with the PaTH program. The member for Dunkley spoke much more positively about the PaTH program than the member for Chifley, but I have come to expect that from one of the government's chief critics. I can tell the member for Chifley that the PaTH program is working very well, and people are very pleased with the PaTH program, one of the Treasurer's particularly favourite programs. I can tell him that, as at 6 June 2017, nine hundred and—

Mr Husic interjecting—

Well, you will not be nearly as effective as the member for Corio, Member for Chifley. Do not try to elevate yourself to that level. Under the PaTH Employability Skills Training program, 921 courses have been approved in the department's systems; 196 courses have been completed; 186 are in progress; 539 are scheduled to commence on 7 June 2017—

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