Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (GREEN ARMY PROGRAMME) BILL 2014

I move that this bill be now read a second time.

Today is an important milestone in the delivery of the Coalition Government's Green Army Programme.

The Social Security Legislation (Green Army Programme) Amendment Bill 2014 amends the Social Security Act 1991 and the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to clarify social security arrangements for participants receiving the green army allowance.

The Green Army Programme

The Green Army is a key Coalition election commitment and will commence from July 2014.

The Green Army will become Australia's largest-ever environmental workforce, building to 15,000 participants by 2018 - capable of delivering 1,500 on-ground environmental projects in communities across Australia.

The Green Army will make a real difference to the environment and local communities through projects such as:

Fostering teamwork, local ownership and community spirit, the Green Army will deliver tangible benefits for the environment and skills development for thousands of young Australians.

The Green Army will have significant benefits for young Australians.

This voluntary initiative will recruit young people aged 17–24 years who are interested in protecting their local environment while gaining hands-on, practical skills and experience.

The Green Army is both an environment and training programme. It will help young people to increase their skills base, gain practical experience and enhance their job readiness.

The Programme will be delivered by a national Service Provider (or multiple Providers) that will be responsible for recruiting, establishing and managing Green Army Teams across Australia to engage in approved projects, in partnership with and driven by local communities.

Projects will be assessed on a merit basis against their environmental benefits, their contribution to the local community and their potential to enhance skills training for participants.

Project proposals will be submitted to the Australian Government by individuals and organisations, such as local community groups, councils and Natural Resource Management bodies for consideration.

The Green Army Programme will commence from July 2014 with the roll-out of 250 Projects in Round 1 and the participation of 2,500 young people in 2014-15.

A priority for investment through initial rounds of the Programme will be Green Army election commitments.

More than 150 projects were announced by the Government during the 2013 election. Some of these include:

Green Army Projects will run for between 20 and 26 weeks. During this period Green Army Participants will have the opportunity to develop job-ready skills and undertake Training. The Service Provider will be responsible for developing Training plans for each of the Green Army participants.

The Bill

Up to nine eligible Participants and at least one Team Supervisor will constitute a Green Army Team.

Participants will receive a green army allowance while participating in the Programme and the Service Provider will be responsible for the disbursement of the allowance. Team Supervisors will be employed and paid a wage by the Service Provider.

The Bill ensures that people receiving a green army allowance under the Green Army Programme will not also receive a social security benefit or social security pension simultaneously.

The Green Army Programme will involve six monthly placements in Green Army Teams providing an alternative to income support for many young Australians interested in engaging in work-like experience and activities.

Similar to other programmes, such as Work for the Dole and previous Green Corps and Green Jobs Corps programmes, participants who are receiving a green army allowance, or a part-time participant who is not receiving green army allowance but meeting their mutual obligations, will not be considered workers or employees for the purposes of various Commonwealth laws.

However, a determination provision within the Bill will ensure that Green Army Team Supervisors will be considered workers or employees for the purposes of various Commonwealth laws.

The Bill also specifies income test arrangements for a person's social security pension if the green army allowance is payable to the person's partner.

Cleaner Environment Plan

The Green Army is a central component of the government's Cleaner Environment Plan focussed on Clean Air, Clean Land, Clean Water and Heritage.

The Coalition believes in encouraging hands-on, practical, grassroots environmental action as a means of fixing environmental problems, as well as tapping into the knowledge of local communities, encouraging them to identify and fix their own local problems.

Clean Land is essential for a cleaner environment. Our plan is focused on cleaning up and revegetating urban and regional environments and other complementary reforms to strengthen natural resource management and Landcare delivery across Australia.

The Green Army also complements the government's 'Direct Action' approach to climate change.

Direct Action provides Australians with the opportunity for individuals, communities, organisations and companies to help address our environmental challenges.

Conclusion

The Green Army builds on the Howard Government's successful Green Corps programme established in 1996 to employ young people in environmental projects to preserve and restore our natural and cultural environment.

Our Green Army will deliver tangible benefits for the environment, skills development for thousands of young Australians and will strengthen local community involvement.

I commend the Bill.

Debate adjourned.