Senator CAROL BROWN (3:19 PM) —The Rudd government took a clear plan to the Australian people to reform the outdated, one-size-fits-all Job Network system. Those opposite are not interested in providing appropriate services for job seekers. The minister today in question time indicated that the independent external probity adviser gave an unqualified sign-off on the tender process. He said that on a number of occasions. But those opposite just do not get it.

The legacy of those opposite was a system bogged down with red tape and incapable of dealing with Australia’s chronic skills shortage, yet those opposite are happy to sit over there and take pot shots at the government over the new Job Services Australia, basically playing politics for politics’ sake. It is worth noting that at the end of the day it is those opposite who presided over a failing system for over 10 years and took the politically easy decision to roll over 95 per cent of business in the last tender of the Job Network in 2006, initiating no improvements. That is right—those opposite were too busy revelling in the resources boom, focusing on short-term, populist spending to help them get re-elected, to worry about making the tough decisions for the future prosperity of Australia.

On the other hand, on this side of the chamber we have a clear plan to reform the nation’s employment services by moving seven separate employment service programs into a one-stop shop which will more effectively assist job seekers to find work and keep work. The Rudd government is making a $4.9 billion investment in the new Job Services Australia program. That is a $1 billion increase which will offer job seekers a range of integrated services. The new integrated Job Services Australia will deliver more comprehensive and personalised assistance for job seekers, allowing them to gain new skills and become more job ready. In the current economic climate we are experiencing the greatest economic challenges since the Great Depression and, as we continue to see labour markets contract, it is imperative that we have a job services system that is adequately equipped to assist job seekers with training and development and, ultimately, finding work. After all, we have seen those opposite preside over 10 years of laziness and playing populist politics.

We have seen a chronic skills shortage develop in the Australian labour market. This has severely hampered the productivity of the Australian economy and has affected our ability to drive new growth. In fact, the former Minister for Employment Participation, the Hon. Brendan O’Connor, highlighted that unless something is done in the area of qualified workers we could be looking at a shortfall of up to 240,000 workers by 2016. Indeed, the legacy of those opposite is a bogged down employment service which helps neither businesses which require skilled workers nor job seekers themselves trying to gain the skills necessary for employment. That is why we have acted and from 1 July the Rudd Labor government will introduce more than 2,000 Job Services Australia sites across Australia. It is worth noting that that is up from the 1,800 which exist under the current system—200 more sites. These sites will provide more resources dedicated to the most disadvantaged job seekers, including those who are homeless. The new services will also develop the Employment Pathway Plan, which details the services tailored to a job seeker to better help them secure employment. In conjunction, we will also operate an Employment Pathway Fund, which will allow employment service providers to purchase goods and services a job seeker may need to help them tackle barriers to employment.

This government is committed to providing people with the appropriate skills; that is why the new Job Services Australia will have a renewed focus on work experience programs such as the Work for the Dole and Green Corps schemes, which provide job seekers with skills and experience to help them get jobs. We will also offer up to 18,900 small business training places under the Productivity Places Program to help address the skills shortage problem by ensuring job seekers are better trained and ready to work, as well as a $41 million Innovation Fund for projects that address barriers to employment for groups of highly disadvantaged job seekers. With a new, integrated one-stop shop for job seekers, Job Services Australia will provide better and more specialised services. (Time expired)