2017 POLICY DOCUMENT. Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program. Putting Queenslanders First

Transcription

1 2017 POLICY DOCUMENT Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program Putting

2 2 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program Contents Message from the Premier 3 Our Commitment 4 The Newman-Nicholls Legacy 5 The Palaszczuk 6 Government s Record Our Plans: Putting 8 Call: Mail: PO Box 5032, West End QLD

3 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program 3 Message from the Premier Since my government was elected in 2015, we have been working to lift growth, build confidence and generate jobs. We are committed to providing opportunities for Queenslanders to get into the workforce, build a career and provide for themselves and their families. Our Back to Work program, assisting jobseekers from groups traditionally facing disadvantage in the labour market, such as young people, long-term unemployed and mature-aged workers, has helped more than 8,000 Queenslanders back into the workforce in just over 12 months. Through our focus on job growth and building confidence in the Queensland economy, we have created 122,500 jobs more than four times the number of jobs created under the Newman- Nicholls Government. The state s unemployment rate has also fallen to 5.9 per cent the lowest since November UP TO $332.5m BACK TO WORK FUNDING 122,500 JOBS CREATED SINCE 2015 Our commitment to jobs is delivering results and getting Queenslanders work ready for the future. Annastacia Palaszczuk PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND Putting

4 4 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program UP TO $155m NEW BACK TO WORK FUNDING 8000 JOBS SUPPORTED IN 12 MONTHS $900,000 STICKING TOGETHER FUNDING Our Commitment The Palaszczuk Government is committed to securing and supporting jobs for Queenslanders. A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will build on our strong job creation record by delivering the following initiatives: Implementing our Sticking Together program which will trial an intensive 60- week coaching and mentoring service for 90 young disadvantaged jobseekers and recently-employed young people in Cairns, Townsville and Logan - 30 in each location. Continuing our signature Back to Work program to assist jobseekers from groups traditionally facing disadvantage in the labour market, such as young people, longterm unemployed and mature-aged workers

5 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program 5 The Newman- Nicholls Legacy The previous Newman-Nicholls Government had only three policies when it came to training, skills and jobs in Queensland: cut, sack, and sell. They attacked the rights and conditions of working Queenslanders and oversaw skyrocketing unemployment. Under Tim Nicholls as Treasurer, unemployment rose from 5.5 per cent to 6.6 per cent, and 30,000 more Queenslanders were thrown onto the unemployment queue. Under Tim Nicholls trend unemployment hit a peak of 6.7 per cent for four months in The Newman-Nicholls Government had no plan for dealing with unemployment during their time in office, just a plan for selling off assets, sacking workers and cutting training programs. They sacked 14,000 public sector workers in their first budget. Tim Nicholls mass sackings saw frontline services, such as health, police and emergency services slashed. Number of jobs created in office , job losses were part and parcel of the former LNP government s attitude towards the public service, which saw more than 14,000 Queenslanders lose their jobs ,100 Newman- Nicholls Palaszczuk Source: Labour Force, Australia Sep 2017 (Employed Total; Persons; Trend) Putting

6 6 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program $42.75b INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING 122,500 NEW JOBS SINCE 2015 $177.5m BACK TO WORK FUNDING The Palaszczuk Government s Record When the Palaszczuk Government was elected in 2015, we immediately began to restore the key frontline staff and programs that Tim Nicholls had cut. We were determined to give Queenslanders opportunities to get into the workforce, build a career and provide for their family. We recognised that Queensland needs a highly-skilled workforce to attract new industries and expand existing ones to create jobs into the future. That s why our government has consistently implemented programs to generate job growth and employment opportunities for Queenslanders, including: The $42.75 billion infrastructure program over four years The $200 million Jobs and Regional Growth Package which includes a range of youth employment and training initiatives aimed at assisting young people find and secure work The $400 million Works for Queensland Program supporting job-creating local government projects The $240 million Skilling Queenslanders for Work program budget extension of the 50% payroll tax rebates for employers hiring apprentices and trainees and a WorkCover premium package that means businesses will not pay a cent in WorkCover premiums on the apprentices they hire

7 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program 7 A Buy Queensland first procurement policy New laws to support the employment of local workers on major mining projects, with a major crackdown on the overuse of FIFO practices New laws to crack down on dodgy labour hire operators that exploit vulnerable labour hire workers The $177.5 million Back to Work program. The Palaszczuk Government introduced the Back to Work program in 2016 as a $100 million two-year program focused on regional Queensland to assist jobseekers to gain employment. In 2017 the program was expanded by an additional $50 million for regional Queensland as well as an extra $27.5 million for Back to Work South East Queensland. As at 26 October 2017, 7,937 regional Queenslanders have been employed under the Back to Work program with an additional 437 jobseekers finding work under the recently-expanded program in south east Queensland. This includes new jobs for: 2,655 long-term jobseekers who had previously been unemployed for more than 12 months 958 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers 1,012 mature-aged jobseekers 751 people with a disability 556 jobseekers from a culturally and linguistically diverse background The Back to Work program is changing the lives of those individuals who have found work as a result of the program. It is starting a cultural change among Queensland employers who are seeing the benefits of giving job seekers an opportunity and employing them directly in permanent jobs. The highlysuccessful Back to Work program has already exceeded expectations and has subsequently been expanded into south east Queensland from 1 July Putting

8 8 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program UP TO $155m NEW BACK TO WORK FUNDING UP TO 10,500 JOBS TO BE SUPPORTED Our Plans: Putting Back to Work A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will build on the success of the Back to Work program due to conclude in 2018, by extending it for a further two years in regional Queensland. This extension of the regional program recognises the particular challenges that continue to face regional communities and economies. Back to Work will continue to assist employers take on jobseekers from groups traditionally facing disadvantage in the labour market, such as young people, long-term unemployed and mature-aged workers, and it will continue to support direct, permanent employment. The Palaszczuk Government will work closely with community organisations to help promote the program and will investigate targeted industry campaigns designed to stimulate employment in key regions and sectors. Sticking Together Program A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will implement the Sticking Together Program, an innovative approach to reducing youth unemployment whereby young jobseekers and recently employed young people are intensively coached and mentored over a 60-week period. A skills coach will work on a one-to-one basis with the young person providing mentoring and support to build their skills, confidence and resilience to cope with situations both in and out of the workplace. The coach will also work with employers, providing advice. Ninety young jobseekers and recently-employed young people will participate in the pilot across Cairns, Townsville and Logan in in each location.

9 Work Ready Queensland: Extending the Back to Work Program 9 JOBS BY REGION SINCE 1 JULY 2016 NO. OF JOBS NO. OF EMPLOYERS Central Queensland 1, Far North Queensland 1, Mackay-Whitsunday 1, North Queensland 1, North West Queensland South East Queensland (Since 1 July 2017) South West Queensland Wide Bay 1, TOTAL 8,374 N/A Putting

10 Call: Mail: PO Box 5032, West End QLD twitter.com/annastaciamp