Doorstop interview: Veterans’ Employment Policy

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AMANDA RISHWORTH: Today is the Government’s Veterans Employment Awards; they will be awarded to businesses and veterans groups who have worked hard in employment. While we certainly congratulate everyone that is nominated and those who win these awards, with veterans’ unemployment at 30 per cent and veterans’ underemployment at 19 per cent we need better programs and outcomes for our veterans. We need a comprehensive plan when it comes to veterans’ unemployment and that is what Labor has announced; $121 million program to support our veterans move from military life into civilian life, from military work into civilian work- that is critically important. Our plan will give $5,000 training grants to businesses to support veterans bridge any skills gaps or experience that they might have, it will provide one-on-one career advice and support and importantly work with civilian institutions to better recognise veterans abilities and experience. We think what is needed when it comes to veterans unemployment is a comprehensive plan and while we support and congratulate the award winners tonight, we need to do more to support our veterans.

 

JOURNALIST: Just on company tax cuts. The government says it needs time to negotiate with the crossbench, what do you think that says about their policy going forward?

 

RISHWORTH: I think what the government is finding is that it does not have broad parliamentary support for these tax cuts, for these cuts that will give big business a handout. We know that the government is desperate to try and get this through the parliament and big business is desperate to get this through the parliament but I think the parliament will want to see results and that is not what is going to happen if these tax cuts get through- results when it comes to jobs or indeed better wages. What we know is that the secret survey of CEO’s have said that tax cuts will not result in better jobs, they will not result in better pay. So I think that the parliament and particularly the crossbench will be very alive to this and be very concerned that this policy will not deliver what it promises.