Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Minister for Employment for coming to Rockhampton last week to announce the expansion of ParentsNext. Secondly, I want to add my congratulations to a great local service provider, Roseberry, for their success so far in delivering ParentsNext and changing the lives of so many vulnerable parents and young families. We know that for mums and dads who take time out from work to raise small children it can be difficult to find their way back into the workforce when their children start school. Women are particularly vulnerable, as are Indigenous parents, who are five times more likely to be receiving parenting payments than non-Indigenous parents.

Rockhampton has an unemployment rate of 7.6 per cent, well above the national average of 5.9 per cent. Around 17 per cent of families in Rockhampton with children under 15 are jobless. We know that children who grow up in jobless families are at a higher risk of growing up to be jobless themselves. But we are resilient and pragmatic people. We know a fair go and a good opportunity when we see one, which is why, since the ParentsNext program was launched in Rockhampton about 12 months ago, more than 800 parents have participated, benefiting not just those individuals but their families as well. We know this program works. Across Rockhampton 378 parents are in accredited training, 72 parents are making use of non-vocational services such as counselling, 119 parents are in non-accredited training and 29 parents are in government programs.

I have seen the impact of this program at the local level, and I know it is working to help lift families off welfare and improve their health and wellbeing. Our commitment of $263 million to expand ParentsNext is just one of the ways in which my government is helping more Australians move off welfare and into a job. ParentsNext gives parents with young children personalised assistance, including support and training to develop their skills, build up their confidence and prepare for employment in a way which first and foremost recognises their role as a parent. We are now going to take this successful program and make it available right across the country to the parents of young children who most need assistance.