Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to offer my comments on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2011 by recognising that this is indeed a national issue. This bill aims to introduce tougher compliance measures for job seekers who have activity test requirements. If passed this bill will introduce a suspension of income support payments for job seekers following a failure to attend participation activities including an appointment with the employment services provider or, in some circumstances, an activity such as training or work for the dole. Unemployment in Australia is currently low at a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.9 per cent in March 2011, with 179,000-odd job seekers classified as long-term unemployed at the same time. While the latest unemployment figures show that the Northern Territory unemployment is just over two per cent and is the lowest in the country, we are losing more people to interstate migration than are being gained. In my electorate of Solomon, we have a transient population whereby workers will take their skills and trades elsewhere to where they are better paid or if there are no jobs in the Northern Territory for them. In the last month it has been reported in the Northern Territory News that this is happening now, with many skilled and semiskilled workers going to higher paid jobs in Western Australia and Queensland. Yet, despite such low national unemployment rates and jobs being available, in the last 12 months across Australia approximately two million job interviews and appointments were missed by job seekers with no valid excuse given. Job seekers are required to undertake these activities as part of their mutual obligation, yet it is clear, by the high number of missed appointments nationally, that job seekers are in fact ignoring their obligations. It is critical that these job seekers are encouraged to re-engage with mainstream society and actively seek employment in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency.

The coalition requires a fair but firm system to ensure that those in receipt of income support who can work have a responsibility to look for work and contribute back to the society that supports them. In addition to this, they need to recognise that welfare is a temporary safety net and not a lifestyle choice. As the member for Robertson said, we are also supportive of the system giving a hand up.

Debate interrupted.

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