Mr JOHNSON (1:40 PM) —I would like to thank the member for Chisholm for bringing this important issue of mature age unemployment to the parliament's attention. It is important to state at the outset that the ABS uses very strict criteria to determine whether an individual is classified as unemployed, testing whether they are both actively looking for work and are available to work in a set time period. This is, of course, in line with the definition set by the International Labour Organisation and provides objective and consistent unemployment statistics. The current statistics show that employment for Australians aged 45 years and over has increased. It has increased by 5.9 per cent over the 12 months to January 2003, and by 24.6 per cent over the past five years. So let us not have any of this nonsense from the opposition, who are painting a different picture. This government is, in fact, a very proactive government in relation to this very important issue.

The unemployment rate for mature age persons is consistently lower than that for younger workers. In January 2003, the unemployment rate for the mature aged was 3.8 per cent compared with 7.8 per cent for persons aged under 45. The unemployment rate for mature age Australians stood at 5.7 per cent in January 1998. The unemployment rate for mature age persons is well below the peak of eight per cent, which was the figure under the Labor administration in 1993. It is very important that the government tells its story. It is very important that the government's message gets to the Australian community and that they know the real situation.

The Howard government's priority is very much to ensure that it has a structure in place that most effectively gets unemployed people into jobs. That is what it is all about. The government is working to ensure that mature age Australians, in particular, are not disadvantaged in the labour market. It is doing this by maintaining a very strong, well managed economy and by having a very flexible and productive workplace relations system. It is enhancing the current employment services arrangements with well targeted measures to support mature age job seekers. It is also reinforcing very strongly the importance of lifelong learning and is improving the education system to focus on standards, skill development and job readiness. It is taking action on the impact of demographic changes through a whole of government policy approach.

A very important point to be made on this whole issue is that this government has provided $146 million over four years through Australians Working Together to ensure that mature age job seekers get a fair deal—something that the opposition does not let the Australian community know. It is very important that members of the government very clearly and very strongly let the Australian community know all the initiatives that the government is putting together. The Australians Working Together package provides a range of measures to assist mature age job seekers, including access to Job Search training without having to wait until they have been unemployed for three months. The new Transition to Work program is designed to help those returning to the work force after a long absence. There are also simpler income support arrangements and increased help for those on the Newstart allowance.

As another very important initiative, the government has also committed some $23 million over the next four years to fund 46,000 IT training places for older Australians. This initiative is targeted at people aged 45 years and over who are in the labour force or are welfare dependent, giving them skills to participate effectively in today's very strong technology orientated work sector. This is another initiative that the Labor Party does not tell the Australian community about. It is a similar story in my electorate of Ryan: in the suburb of Indooroopilly there is now a seniors service that was not there previously.

The SPEAKER —Order! It being 1.45 p.m., the debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 101. The debate may be resumed at a later hour and the member for Ryan will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.