Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hume for that question. Again, the Turnbull government firmly believes that the best form of welfare is a job. That is why as a government we have so heavily invested in ensuring our youth who are on welfare but also looking down the barrel of long-term welfare have an opportunity to have a go in a workplace and get a job. You would be aware of the Turnbull government's Youth Jobs PaTH program. This is about preparing our youth to ensure they are ready for a workplace, letting them have a foot in the door and undertake an internship—the trial stage—and then it would lead to employment: to hiring them. Businesses—in particular, small and medium businesses—are hiring young people as a result of PaTH. It is a great shame that those on the other side fought us every step of the way in relation to getting our youth off welfare and into a job. Those on the other side are quite happy to have young people in Australia rely on the welfare drip.