(1) Has the Newcastle based Centacare Job Placement Education and Training (JPET) program been defunded following a recent tender process.

(2) Was a proposal for a Centacare JPET program based in Maitland also unsuccessful despite the fact the area has high unemployment.

(3) Is the process of evaluation of all tenders throughout Australia for the JPET program to be reviewed; if so, (a) how will tenders be assessed during the process and (b) will tenders be judged on evidence of past achievements or what the agencies say they would do.

(4) Has the number of placements decreased in the recent tender process; if so, by how many.

(1) and (2) Negotiations are still being undertaken in relation to the provision of JPET services. Until the process has been completed we are not in a position to provide further details as to the successful or unsuccessful applicants.

(3) (a) (b) As the result of a complaint, a review of the process was announced on Friday 8th November and will be completed by 31 January 2003. The review is not about reassessing all the applications but investigating the specific complaints made about the business allocation process.

(4) A similar number of young people will continue to be serviced by JPET services.