Brotherhood Comment November 2007

ISSN 320 8632A regul Ar upd Ate from the r ese Arch And policy centreNovember 2007Employment assistanceTime for a fresh approachThe Job Network has played a • misunderstanding of the Dole (WfD) participants (93 000 significant role over the past decade aspirations and barriers faced commencements annually) have in assisting those who are job ready by disadvantaged job seekers been on income support for over to re-enter the workforce. However, two years, and one in five have less • inefficient fragmentation and its model of assistance was designed than Year 10 education (DEWR complexity of programs with for labour market conditions that 2007b). Yet only 13% of WfD separate accountabilitiesexisted in the mid 1990s, with participants achieve full-time • reliance on sequential forms double the unemployment level of employment (measured three of assistancetoday. Despite an unprecedented months after exit), while the 59% period of economic growth, there remain unemployed and 10% drop • inadequate and skewed are still over one million Australians out of the labour force altogether.allocation of resourcesof working age who are either • relatively weak outcomes for the unemployed or are seeking more Spending prioritiesmost disadvantaged job seekers. work than they have. In June, there Australia has underspent on were over 760 000 income support active labour market assistance To illustrate these weak outcomes, beneficiaries being assisted by the compared ...