Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

In closing, I would like to thank members opposite for their contributions to this debate on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Jobs Path: Prepare, Trial, Hire) Bill 2016. I acknowledge the very genuine interest that many members have shown in what is an issue that has been particularly difficult for governments on both sides of this House to solve. If solving youth unemployment were easy, the government would have solved it in the last three years or those opposite would have solved it in their six years. It simply has proven to be quite an intractable issue for federal governments to manage.

The minister responsible is open to the practical suggestions that have been put forward by those opposite, and I am sure that there will be more opportunities for that conversation to occur. I think we have a shared desire across the chamber to get more young people off the dole, get them off unemployment benefits and get them into employment, and this is an important piece of legislation in that. It provides for $840 million over four years.

I take up the comments of at least one previous member who said that there is real dignity in having a job. This program is about trying to find ways to get young people work experience so they go on to have meaningful employment. We believe the package will work because it provides a step-by-step pathway for young people to deal with some of those major challenges that young people in particular face when it comes to finding employment. These challenges are a lack of employability skills, a lack of experience and difficulties in competing with other jobseekers when it comes to actually being selected for the job.

We believe that this program will have good support from the business sector, particularly in the small business sector, which is a critical employer of young people right around Australia. It is well placed to give young people that chance, that foot in the door, that opportunity to learn new skills that may well lead to their overcoming any barriers that they may face in getting established in the workplace. Once they get that first opportunity, I am very confident that they will have the capacity to develop a work ethic, which will stand them in good stead in the future.

It is important to stress—and several members have raised this issue—that under this internship approach jobseekers will receive a $200 per fortnight supplement, which is on top of their income support payment. It is important for members to recognise that. The young people participating in this program will retain their income support payment and receive a supplement on top of it. So it is not $4 per hour; it is actually a payment on top of the benefit they are already receiving, which is provided by Australian taxpayers. It is true that the employers will also receive an up-front payment in the order of $1,000 to host and intern. As I said in my previous comments, it is up to the government to make sure that any businesses found to be exploiting the system are forced off it and to provide those protections for the young unemployed people. Internships will be voluntary for both the businesses and the young people involved. They will be co-designed by them to make sure the needs of both are met. I commend the bill to the House.

Bill agreed to.

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