Harsh rules for young job seekers 'totally unrealistic'

Date
    June 13, 2014


Young job seekers forced to wait six months for unemployment benefits will be required to apply for 40 jobs a month, despite not receiving any payments.         

Under proposals announced in the budget, job seekers aged under 30 will be ineligible for payments for six months after applying for benefits.       

But despite not receiving any money, job seekers will be required to meet the activity requirements for unemployment benefits throughout this period. If they fail to do so, their waiting period will be extended by four weeks.

Job seekers will be required to attend monthly appointments with an employment service provider, and show evidence, such as a job-search diary, that they have looked for 40 jobs that month.

Brotherhood of St Laurence executive director Tony Nicholson said there was a cost involved in looking for work and it was ''totally unrealistic'' to expect job seekers to fulfil such requirements when they are without an income.

Mr Nicholson said he was particularly concerned about the impact the change would have on young people who were unable to rely on family support because of family violence or breakdown, or whose families could not afford to support them.

''Those people have no option to return home. Without income, they are destitute, and if you don't have money for food and shelter and transport, it's impossible to look for work.''

The president of the National Welfare Rights Network, Maree O'Halloran, said the ''harsh'' changes placed unemployed young people in an impossible position.      

''They will have no money for bus fares, newspapers, phone calls or an internet connection, yet if they don't look for work they risk having their payments suspended for an extra four weeks.      

''The government's version of mutual obligation is very one-sided. The more one looks into this policy … the more unworkable and unreasonable it appears.''

Labor employment spokesman Brendan O'Connor said the Abbott government wanted to walk away from its obligations to job seekers.

''Not content with stripping young job seekers of support when they need it most, this heartless government wants to kill off mutual obligation once and for all,'' he said.

But a spokeswoman for Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews defended the requirements.

''These expectations are reasonable and similar to what is currently in place for job seekers on Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance,'' the spokeswoman said.

''It is essential that young job seekers access the employment services available during the waiting period in order to give themselves the best chance of getting a job and remaining connected with the labour market.''

The government estimates the changes will provide savings of $1.2 billion over four years.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/harsh-rules-for-young-job-seekers-totally-unrealistic-20140612-3a0eo.html#ixzz34Sb4Ks7U

greggerypeccary wrote on Jun 13^th, 2014 at 9:53am:


It'd create employment for executioners.

I love the arbitrary discrimination of those under 30 vs those over 30.....horrible idea, horrible system, to expensive, to inefficient, there are far easier, cheaper and more effective ways of combating unemployment than trying to squeeze people who are already squeezed to much.

I'm all free-market but even I can see that Abbott has no grasp on reality, especially with his counter-proposals that benefit those with money....what a joke.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jun 13^th, 2014 at 9:53am: