Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to advise that the Central Coast will be one of 18 areas selected under the coalition government's reinvigorated Work for the Dole arrangements for young job seekers. This is fantastic news for my electorate of Robertson. It will help deliver the hope, reward and opportunity our young people need, in an area where youth unemployment is just too high.

This program will mean that 18- to 30-year-olds on the Central Coast who have been unemployed for 12 months or more and are receiving Newstart or youth allowance will be required to do Work for the Dole from July. Participants will complete around 15 hours per week for six months in a work-like environment. Work for the Dole will include a mix of individual and group based activities. It is designed to give our young people a fair go and a hand up. We believe that all Australians capable of working should be working. They should be earning, learning or working for the dole. This helps young people gain the skills and experience they need to move from welfare to work as soon as possible. It keeps young job seekers engaged and active and helps avoid a lifetime of welfare dependency.

Last week I visited ET Australia in Gosford, a community based not-for-profit training college for young people on the coast. I heard from many students who were positive about their future because they were in a supportive, engaging learning environment. One of the managers, Katrina March, told me about how their instructors were helping young people make a positive contribution to their community. Work for the Dole does not replace paid work, but together with mandatory programs for 18- to 30-year-olds, we are working to improve employment figures on the Central Coast.

Labour force figures from the ABS shows that across the local government area of Gosford there was an average of 7,100 young people aged 15 to 24 who were without work. The unemployment rate for young Australians is 12.9 per cent; more than double the national average of unemployment. It is just too high. That is why the government is providing this $14.9 million commitment over two years for new Work for the Dole arrangements. Work for the Dole places will be sourced in not-for-profit organisations, local councils, and federal and state government agencies, and the government will appoint a Work for the Dole coordinator for the Central Coast, with tenders to be called for this week.

The Howard government introduced the principle of mutual obligation and Work for the Dole to ensure that people in receipt of income support were genuinely looking for work and making a contribution to their community. Under the Labor government this was watered down. Now, with 40,000 people across Australia participating in phase 1 of this program, our government is building a positive and self-enhancing experience for our young job seekers. I look forward to hearing more stories about how this program is lifting our young people by providing opportunities for work experience so they can pursue their dreams and aspirations on the Central Coast.