Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

The good member mentioned the great state of Tasmania and unemployment there. There are some great industries in Tasmania, and the dairy industry is in a state of growth. In north-western Tasmania, an area of high unemployment, we see an increasing demand for labour, and what do the members opposite do? They insist on imposing a carbon tax—a carbon tax that increases the cost at the farm gate by around $10,000 a farm; a carbon tax that adds massively to the cost of milk processing. The competitors to the Tasmanian dairy industry are not carrying those taxes. They are not carrying a carbon tax—the world's largest carbon tax. If those opposite were serious about the job prospects for young Tasmanians, they would come over here and vote with us on the repeal of the carbon tax.

The good old member for Franklin has left the chamber. She was not interested enough to stay around. She is the last remaining Labor member for Tasmania. It was not that long ago that the member for Franklin would have been joined by four other members. Labor used to hold five seats in Tasmania, but not any more. There is only one left. She is the last Labor member standing. With a reputation like theirs on job creation, it is no wonder. It is because of the job-destroying Labor-Greens alliance.

We believe that the best way to grow jobs is through a strong economy. We also have a suite of programs to assist in the creation of jobs and to assist job seekers. We have a job commitment bonus that will provide a $2,500 payment to encourage young people to get and keep a job, to get into work and stay off welfare for 12 months. If they stay off welfare for a further 12 months and stay in work—that is two years in total—there is an additional $4,000. That is a $6,500 incentive to encourage young people to get into work.

We have relocation assistance of up to $6,000 to encourage people to move to a regional area and $3,000 to move to a metropolitan area. If those job seekers who need assistance to move have dependents, there is a further $3,000 available. We have the restart program, which is going to encourage employers to put on older workers to enjoy the benefits bringing workers with a lifetime of experience into the workforce can bring. It is a $10,000 incentive for employers to employ people over the age of 50. It is a very important program.

We have the Tasmanian jobs plan. It is an incentive payment for employers in Tasmania to put on an extra Tasmanian. I would hope that they would take up that program because, as we know, Tasmania is the state with the highest unemployment in the country. It is a state that could benefit greatly, as I said, from the growth in the dairy industry. But what do the members opposite do? They insist on retaining the job-destroying carbon tax.

We have a range of measures in the budget in relation to skills and training, including the $476 million Industry Skills Fund to deliver close to 200,000 targeted training programs over four years. We have trade support loans to encourage young apprentices to get their training. We have expanded opportunities with expanded scholarships for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have expanded funding to students studying diplomas, advanced diplomas and associate degrees. These are great programs.

Also, more recently, I announced the rollout of phase 1 of our revamped Work for the Dole program. It is a program which has the potential to give young people some of the important basic skills that they need to assist them to get by in the workplace. Many employers have been telling me that young job seekers are presenting at the gates of their businesses without the necessary basic skills to get by in the workplace—simple skills such as turning up on time, having the right attitude and getting on with their workmates. These are skills that we who have been in the workforce for many years take for granted but unfortunately are sadly lacking for many job seekers.

We have engaged in expanding Work for the Dole, giving young people in 18 selected locations who have been unemployed for 12 months or more the opportunity to participate in a Work for the Dole program, gain those new skills and have something to take to a future employer. They can have a reference as to what they have done, what they have achieved and what they have contributed to their community. As I get around the country, there is widespread acceptance of our revamped Work for the Dole program. Local councils understand the importance of Work for the Dole. Participants understand the importance of Work for the Dole. So many young people are saying to me, 'Give me a chance to participate. Give me a chance to show you what I can do.' I am certain that there will be many young people who will benefit greatly from our enhanced Work for the Dole program.

We on this side of the House understand quite clearly that nothing creates jobs faster and more effectively than a strong economy. That is why we introduced the budget recently into this House. It is a budget that sets Australia up for the future. When they see the members opposite voting again against the repeal of the carbon tax and the repeal of the mining tax, it will be clear to the young people and job seekers of Australia that they are not about getting the settings right. They are not about assisting in the creation of jobs. They are only about standing in the way. We are a government focused on creating opportunities and giving young people assistance into work. They are an opposition that could not manage the budget when they were in government and do not understand the facts of what we need in this country to create jobs. They are simply intent on standing in the way.

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