Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Employment. Will the minister update the House on the rollout of the Work for the Dole scheme in my electorate and around the country? How is Work for the Dole supporting job seekers and communities?

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

I thank the good member for his question. The member for Forde is a member who understands the importance of employment in ensuring that people have a quality life in this country and understands the fact that welfare only leads to despair, and that the best thing we can do for job seekers is to help them with a job. Work for the Dole has a very important role to play in assisting many job seekers on their journey from welfare to work. Late last year I visited the good member's electorate and we went to the Twin Rivers Centre where there was a great Work for the Dole project that was giving job seekers experience in the areas of administration, maintenance and hospitality. The Twin Rivers Centre is providing great assistance to job seekers through their Work for the Dole project on their journey from welfare to work. More than 200 young people in the good member's electorate are participating in Work for the Dole and some 800 people have commenced a Work for the Dole placement in the wider Logan area.

The member for Forde understands the importance of Work for the Dole. The member for Forde understands the importance of having a job, and this government is committed to getting as many people as possible off welfare and into work.

Regrettably, when I get around the country, employers are telling me that many young people are presenting at the gates of their business without the necessary basic skills to help them in the workplace: simple skills such as turning up on time, how to act in the workplace, how to get on with their work mates—skills that we take for granted as we have been in the workplace for a long time but, regrettably, skills that many people lack.

Unfortunately, the members opposite are not showing great support for Work for the Dole. We on this side understand the benefits that Work for the Dole can bring. We on this side realise the importance of helping young people from Welfare to Work.

There is a range of Work for the Dole projects around the country. Recently, I visited the good member for Murray and saw a great project in Shepparton, the construction of the Shepparton botanic gardens and, as a result of that Work for the Dole project, some 11 job seekers have moved to continuing employment.

I visited the good member for Macquarie and saw a great project at Richmond Club; and the member for Dobell and saw a great project in the good member's electorate with regard to the Central Coast Wetlands Pioneer Dairy; and the member for Robertson and saw a great project at the Skills Generator. I must advise the House that, in my own electorate, a job seeker who had been unemployed for some 232 weeks received a job as a result of his involvement in Work for the Dole, a great achievement.

We realise the importance of Work for the Dole. It is a shame the members opposite seem reluctant to come on board.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After that splendid answer, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.