Ms KERNOT (2:06 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Employment Services. Minister, isn't it true that your department has told the top 10 Job Network providers to `get their numbers up no matter what'? Minister, wasn't this done to assist you to achieve inflated performance figures for the Job Network and to give these providers an advantage in being awarded contracts without tenders in the next round of Job Network contracts?

Mr BROUGH (Minister for Employment Services) —I find it extraordinary that the member for Dickson would complain about a department requesting people providing employment services to do their best. That is an extraordinary comment to make. I guess if you go back to the old CES days when they were told to get people into training courses and to cycle them around and around and around, you would have something to complain about. But a system that is based on outcomes—and an outcome, for those who do not understand, is people that get jobs—is in fact a positive thing. This department and this government stand behind the Job Network and support it in ensuring that those people that are paid to provide employment services do so, and do so to the best of their ability.