Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker Coulton—nice warning! Last Tuesday I had the privilege of welcoming the Prime Minister and the Minister for Employment to the Aloft Hotel in my electorate of Swan. We joined the Australian Hotels Association to announce the expansion of their commitment to the coalition's Youth Jobs PaTH program to 10,000 places. Our government's Youth Jobs PaTH program is all about giving local young people the skills they need, giving them practical work experience and getting them a job. There are three easy elements that have proved to be a great success: prepare, trial and hire. I would also like to congratulate and thank the WA Australian Hotels Association CEO, Bradley Woods, for his commitment to providing a platform for positive long-term employment for youth.

Since the coalition was elected in 2013 the economy has created more than 700,000 jobs. The Youth Jobs PaTH program is a central element of the Turnbull government's comprehensive plan to get more Australians into work. As we know on this side of the House, the best form of welfare is a job. Since its inception, the PaTH program has seen nearly 7,000 individuals commence a training course, over 1,000 internships placements have started and 7,500 youth bonus wage subsidy agreements have been entered into.

I congratulate the Prime Minister and Minister Cash for their work, and for the work they have done to achieve real outcomes for young Australians in a program which is supported by many industries, such as the AHA. Thank you.