Budget for Jobs and Training

Date: 08 May 2000

Recent employment figures do not mask the reality that unemployment remains a serious problem in Australia - for young Australians, indigenous Australians, as well as mature age unemployed and their families, Cheryl Kernot, Shadow Minister for Employment and Training, said today.

Ms Kernot said the Government owes it to all Australians to make it a focus in tomorrow's Budget.

"There are a number of things that the Government should be doing to address these most at risk groups, but the most important thing is to address the skills crisis currently facing Australia," Ms Kernot said.

"At the same time as numerous businesses are unable to fill skilled vacancies, hundreds of thousands of people are desperate for work.

"This skills crisis has been caused by the Howard Government's $240 million dollar cuts to the TAFE sector and $1 billion dollar cuts to Universities.

"The Government has also failed to ensure that the workforce possesses the up to date skills needed to fill current and future skilled job vacancies.

"The minimal resources recently directed to providing skills information in just one industry - the automotive industry - are an insufficient response to the reality that urgent action is required in many other industries.

"The Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business lists child care, information technology, and construction as other areas that have skill shortages.

"To address the ongoing problem of mature age unemployment, the Government should consider apprenticeships for mature aged people. This will allow them to retrain and update their skills."

Ms Kernot said carefully targeted wage subsidies should also be considered, especially for the long term and mature age unemployed as outlined by the Treasury submission to the House of Representatives Standing committee into mature age unemployment.

"Pilot programs alone do not make up for four years of neglect by this Government.

"For young Australians, the crucial link in preventing unemployment is quality information about the options that are available to them, backed up by assistance in taking up those options.

"Comprehensive school to work programs - as outlined in the recent Business Council of Australia report - are needed to ensure that young people are not lost in the system."

Ms Kernot said indigenous unemployment has been steadily rising since 1996, with estimates by the Centre for Aboriginal and Economic Policy Research putting total Aboriginal unemployment at around 44 per cent.

"Schemes that encourage local Aboriginal enterprises or that provide training that will lead to a real job are vital and need to be boosted in tomorrow's Budget," Ms Kernot said.

"Relying on economic growth alone is an insufficient policy response to the special needs of Australians at risk of becoming or remaining unemployed."

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Beaumont
Union:	ALP Federal
Phone:	0419562456
WWW:	http://www.alp.org.au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]