Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister please update the Senate on the government's plan to help job seekers secure stability and certainty in a job, including through the proposed drug-testing initiative?

Senator Watt interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind senators to maintain their silence during questions being asked so that I may hear them, particularly when I'm saying things from the chair, Senator Watt.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question and his particular ongoing interest, even before he came into this place, on initiatives that focus on supporting people who are coming onto welfare, to make sure that they get a stable and ongoing job. We know that people that are on welfare are denying themselves the best opportunity to be able to take advantage of the jobs that are being created.

This government has a very proud record of creating jobs. Over 1.4 million jobs have been created since this government came into office, and we have a plan to create many more whilst we are in government. But the reality that we all need to face is that a small proportion of job seekers require additional support to get work-ready. That is why the drug-testing trial is being introduced by this government. It is not a punitive measure, as those opposite think it is. It's an initiative designed to help job seekers to remove the barriers to employment.

In reforming the welfare system, we need to make sure there are strong incentives for people with a substance abuse issue to get treatment and to rehabilitate, so that they're in a position to be able to find a job. I want to make it very clear: no-one who tests positive to a drug test will lose one cent of their welfare payment. Rather, if a person fails that test, they will be placed on income management which quarantines 80 per cent of their income support so it can only be spent on life's essentials, such as food, housing and clothing, rather than on drugs. We know that cash is the currency of drug dealers, and we want to deny them that currency.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a supplementary question?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate how this initiative will be beneficial to the workplace?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

The drug-testing trial actually is an Australian-first initiative, despite what others might say. We are always out there looking for new and innovative ways to deal with the devastating impact that drugs have on individuals, their families, their communities and the whole of Australia. I'm pleased to advise the Senate that this morning I took a drug test, and anybody in this place is welcome to go and have a drug test; they're in this building. But the main reason that they're here is so you can go and assure yourselves of the process of undertaking a drug test. It's very commonplace in many workplaces.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) | Link to this | Hansard source

What was the result?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

In fact, Senator O'Farrell, I'm pleased to let you know that—

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Farrell, on a point of order?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order: I don't wish to be confused with the former Premier of New South Wales.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston can continue.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, maybe I was actually saying, 'Oh, Senator Farrell.' But I'd like to advise people in this place that 3.5 million Australians are drug tested every year in the workplace. In the mining industry—

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Ruston. Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

What sort of targeted support will jobseekers who test positive to multiple drug tests be provided with?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

As part of the trial, we have set aside $10 million as a treatment fund so that we can make sure that there is capacity in the trial sites for anybody who does test positive to more than one test to access the treatment that they need to be able to deal with their particular addiction. This is in addition to the $780 million that this government has already committed over the forwards to reduce the impact of drugs on individuals, their families, their communities and Australia.

It will be in three parts, to assist case management for those individuals who find themselves having tested positive more than once. It will be about building the facilities, the services and the treatments to ensure that anybody who does test positive will have access to the services that they need. There's also another individual fund to make sure that we, as a government, are able to get the resources to support the facilities in these areas. This is about providing funding to jobseekers to deal with their drug addiction.