GETTING MORE AUSTRALIANS INTO WORK

More Australians have been employed through jobactive than under previous arrangements and at a lower cost to taxpayers.

 

Since the Government came to office in September 2013, 825,500 jobs have been created. Of the 371,500 jobs created over the last year, 315,900 were full time and full time employment now stands at a record high of 8,398,200.

 

The jobactive model is proving to be more effective than the predecessor Job Services Australia model in assisting Australians to obtain sustainable employment. In 2016-17 jobactive completed over 370,000 job placements, 45,000 more placements than JSA in its last year of operation.

 

Assisting long term unemployed Australians back into work is complex but the Turnbull Government is committed to creating jobs for all Australians.

 

The proportion of individuals who are achieving six month outcomes in their first job is now 20 per cent higher than under the previous JSA system.

 

“However, it is not appropriate to measure the success of an entire system simply by the proportion of six month outcomes for people who have come off income support. We know that a person's first job after long term unemployment helps build skills, confidence and resilience. The statistics show that it is often a stepping stone to a longer lasting job,” Minister Cash said.

 

Individuals who come off income support into one short term job (employed for less than six months) are over 70 per cent more likely to move into an ongoing job lasting over six months. Those who have had two such short term jobs are over 100 per cent more likely to end up in an ongoing job lasting longer than six months.

 

The Department of Employment has in place a comprehensive integrity regime to prevent, detect and respond to instances of fraud. The Government is concerned with any reports of misuse of funds and acts on those reports. Anyone with evidence of rorting should report it immediately to the Department.

 

Importantly, jobactive has delivered a greater than 13 per cent increase in the number of participants employed after three months when compared with JSA between 2012-15. In addition, the cost per employment outcome in 2016-17 was $1,453, down from $2,251 under JSA in 2014-15.