Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on what the Turnbull government is doing to support young Australians into the workplace?

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

I thank Senator Back for his question. The Turnbull government is investing $855 million to get our youth who are on welfare out of welfare and into work. In fact, next week, our $763 million investment in the innovative Youth Jobs PaTH program commences. This is a government that firmly believes that the best form of welfare is a job.

In terms of the Youth Jobs PaTH program, it is a new approach to youth employment and is all about getting our youth ready, giving them a go and getting them a job. Young Australians, as we know, often want to work but they just cannot get their foot in the door for that important first job as they do not have the necessary skills that employers are looking for. We also know that employers would love to give our youth a start but they cannot afford to take a chance on them because they do not have the necessary training that the employers need. PaTH directly associates and looks at these issues.

The Youth Jobs PaTH program has three elements to it: preparing our youth, trialling our youth and ensuring that they get a job. In the first part of the program, what we will do is provide our youth with work-ready skills and industry-specific training. In other words, we will ensure that they are prepared for the workplace. We need to ensure that young Australians have the skills that employers need so that they are not confined to a life on welfare. In terms of the program, it also gives participants the opportunity to get their foot in the door of a workplace. Again, how often do we hear that young people are motivated to go out and get a job but, because they do not have the skills and experience, an employer just will not take them on? This is why it is all about getting our youth ready, giving them a go and getting them a job.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Back, a supplementary question.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that complete response. Can the minister outline examples where interns have been used by employers in Australia?

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

I think most people in this place would recognise that internships have been a fantastic way of gaining experience in a workplace and they offer up a world of opportunity for those who have the opportunity to participate in them. If I look around here, I am sure many senators will put their hand up and say, 'I was able to undertake an internship and that's how I got my foot in the door.' Some may be surprised to note that, despite those opposite being opposed to the PaTH program—they are opposed to getting our youth out of welfare and into work—a number of Labor MPs and senators have themselves had numerous interns through their offices. In fact, no fewer than 44 interns have passed through the offices of Labor senators—that is all we know about—and approximately 150 have passed through the doors of the Labor Party.

Senator Cormann interjecting—

How much do they get paid, Senator Cormann? In many cases, they do not. (Time expired)

The PRESIDENT: Senator Back, a final supplementary question.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches to the hiring of young people in this country?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I wonder whether you could consider whether that question is in order. Odgers' makes it clear that a question which invites a minister to comment on the policies of non-government parties or other parties is not in order. There are a number of rulings—by President Sibraa, President Reid and President Calvert—which I am happy to go to. I am raising a point of order about whether the question that has been asked is in order.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Wong. In recent years, and including with my predecessor, that question—and, in fact, the exact wording of that question—has been asked and accepted on many occasions. Again, there are many aspects now to reflect upon in question time and I will also take that on board. But the minister is in order to answer the question as it was asked.

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

In relation to alternative approaches, I am. In fact, it goes to Senator Di Natale, the Leader of the Australian Greens. His preferred choice was to hire an international au pair. He chose to hire a young worker—not an Australian youth but someone from overseas—and not pay them above the minimum wage. What he did, though, was ensure they got on a plane and came to Canberra at taxpayers' expense. As someone said to me, 'Our greatest fears have been realised: the Greens have implemented a nanny state!' But, colleagues, the Greens' hypocrisy is not in short supply.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. Pause the clock. Senator Ludlam, a point of order.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. No part of the senator's question went to the matters that the minister is traversing. She knows very well that this is utterly irrelevant to the question that was put to her. It was the subject of a Press Council ruling. Could you please bring her back to the question that she was asked.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ludlam. I will allow the minister to continue.

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

Colleagues, google 'Di Natale and intern' and guess what pops up? A job advertisement, which I will now read from. It is a job advertisement for the intern, which states: 'The position has no financial remuneration available and no employment position is on offer.' (Time expired)