Costello's anti-Job Network weapons discovered?

THE Federal Government had cut $500 million in funding to private sector employment agencies to ensure taxpayers received value for money, Treasurer Peter Costello said?

The Government's Budget papers showed that spending on the Job Network, agencies which find work for disadvantaged jobseekers, was cut by $457.4 million.

Mr Costello today defended the cut at a time when the Government is providing $3.6 billion to push 190,000 people from social services to work.

He said recent falls in unemployment had meant there was a need to change the funding formula Job Network used to pay private businesses when they found work for the unemployed.

"At a time when unemployment is low it's been easier for the Job Network providers to get people into work, so the Government's had to very carefully look at all of the formula for remunerating these people," Mr Costello said.

"The formulas are reviewed every time the contract is renewed because people want us to get value for money.

"We're going to get value for money for the taxpayer.

"It's not a question of taking money out; it's a question of getting a formula that adequately rewards people in the private sector and gets the best value for taxpayers."?

But another corporate newspaper that deals with finance, said Job Network agencies had branded the Government's decision to cut funding as extremely poor policy that would hit them and the unemployed hard.

Mr Costello denied the Government had tried to bury the funding cut in the Budget papers.

"This is a multi-billion contract which is up for renewal and we'll still pay out multi-billions of dollars," he said.

"There's nothing buried about this, this is a question of getting value for taxpayers' money.

"Why should the taxpayer provide a private provider a windfall to get someone in a job when that private provider is being adequately remunerated?"

Ed: I don't believe in the private sector corporations getting welfare from the Federal Government anyway but it just proves how ambiguous the fascist Federal Government are demanding "Three Strikes and You're Out" policies for the unemployed and then at the same time undermining job prospects.

By Ambiguous 16 May 05

Related:

Pity Labor Couldn't be United over Social Services Cuts?
HoWARd/Costello (funny fellow) Big Mac and Small Fries. And Beazely's Kentucky Fried Two Piece Snack Box for those on minimum wages who should be enjoying - better Medicare Rebates, Public Housing, Hospitals, Education and Transport Infrastructure but instead get just $6.00.

Happy mothers day: Single mums forced to work!
AUSTRALIA can no longer sustain its warfare system, but can sustain the social dollar and that depends on where your priorities are? USA/Iraq or Australia?

HoWARd Gov't could be slued, community warns
Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) members will join a rally in Victoria Square today, protesting against the anticipated changes to workplace relations.

Work for the dole and prison industry slavery
Work for the dole certainly offers a lot of variety. The impression given by the government is that most unemployed do creative and helpful work assisting the community.

'Social Services cheats' may face election next time around
The Federal fascist HoWARd Government is attacking the poor and underprivileged again (on all fronts - now including social services, disabled, single mothers, Medicare rebate and IVF treatment.

Single parents deserve a living wage and not persecution
Being a single parent is hard work. It means a lot of responsibility. But you are not paid properly to do this work. You are paid way below what is recognised as the poverty line. StandUp! Believes that looking after a child is a job and should be paid for like any other job.

Labor sees problems in welfare proposals
The Federal Opposition says proposed changes to Australia's welfare system are a cost-cutting measure and will leave disability and sole parent pensioners worse off.

Dismantle the war machine, slash taxes, privatisation and keep social services The Centre for Independent Studies report says the flat-rate income tax of 10 per cent would ensure most Australians could afford to pay for essential services such as health and education, instead of relying on welfare [social service] payments.

Costello to force single mums to look for work?
SINGLE mothers would be forced to look for work once their children reached school age, under a draconian welfare package outlined last night by fascist Pastor Peter Costello to bolster funds to spend on military hardware and the ongoing illegal and degrading war in Iraq.

The HoWARd Government is simply robbing the disabled blind
KERRY O'BRIEN: Federal cabinet adjourned today still undecided about the final formula for what has become politically one of the toughest reform challenges the Government will face this term. For the past two decades, the disability support pension has been one of the fastest growing welfare payments [social security payments.]

Encouragement is the key to social-services-to-work programs
Corporate Welfare! I think we should start with Ingeus Company. Telling us what we already know for $$$$!

Peter Saunders shake-up is long overdue: Welfare Not Warfare
Peter Saunders: Many DSP claimants are older men with limited skills who have had difficulty finding work?

Welfare Reform for Warfare Expenditure?
John Howard: "Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently ... [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable."

Govt plots post-July strategy?
Fascist Prime Minister insists he is not on a mission to punish welfare recipients [social services.]

HoWARd 'determined' to make the disabled woRK?
The Federal Government is considering a system of "coercion" and incentive to force the disabled to work. But what happened to 6 billion-budget surpluses? Why do they need to force disabled people to work? Do they need more money and less disabled people? Or do would they rather spend the money on WAR?

Opposition pension claims valid
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while spending billions on military hardware is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Thousands march for disability protest
"We are not prepared to go back to the dark ages. This has to be reversed," Mr Preston said. "We are hoping that the community sees that we shouldn't be taking money from people with disabilities. These people have had it tough all their lives (and) there is already more unmet need than we can cope with."

Howard's Job Network Bailout
Up to 670,000 people on disability support pensions will be encouraged to sign up to the Job Network under a radical new plan to get disabled people off welfare and into work.

THE HILLSONG'S ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF ' NEO-LIBERALISM' Only a bent mind would envisage the possibility or think of the concept that a '2nd Neo-Liberal 'front' promoted by the right and posing as a Church would enter politics under the flag of "Family First Party".

Costello, Howard's Disciple
JOHN HOWARD AND PETER Costello lost their vision for Australia from the time they were elected and embarked on a vision for the neo-Liberals.

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel?
Well praise the Lord the light is Hell bent here on Peter Costello, treasurer of the Howard Government who now has his own "flock" of onward Christian Soldiers.

Corporate Welfare

Corporate welfare or how to steal social services?
Ever wondered why there are so many homeless, why we need a 10 pc GST, lack of services for mental disability, still paying off the Olympics, poor public transport planning etc etc etc?

Unemployed:

Work for the dole is legal slavery
Work for the dole was originally sold to us by Howard as a warm and fuzzy light work project. We would be working for nothing but we would be enjoying giving back something to the community, so it was reckoned.

FIGHT UNEMPLOYMENT!
Peter Costello commended this result in his budget speech. Even if we were to believe this figure it still means more than half a million living at a level much lower than that is recognised as poverty.

Mark Latham's, token gestures for older unemployed
StandUp appreciates the fact that Mark Latham is concerned about older unemployed people. His specialist job network proposal aimed at older people might provide a bit of assistance.

Work for the dole failure for two thirds
THE Un-Australian: " MORE than a third of the people who completed the Howard Government's work-for-the-dole programs last year were in jobs or studying within three months of finishing.

Work for the dole? $10.00?
StandUp! Wishes to draw your attention to a serious attack on all of us--work for the dole. We were assured that unemployed would not be forced to work in areas where employed workers would normally be employed. This has shown to be a lie! Under work for the dole, unemployed have been forced to carry out; concreting, tiling, landscaping, repairs, renovation, painting, gardening, nurses and teachers aid work.

'WORK FOR THE DOLE' REDUCES JOB PROSPECTS
A major independent study commissioned by the Government and released today under Freedom of Information by The Australian newspaper indicates that the 'Work for the Dole' program actually reduces the job prospects of unemployed people.

Youth welfare system unfair: ACOSS
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is warning urgent action is needed to fix youth poverty and disincentives for the unemployed to improve their job prospects.

Bringing up children Can we afford it?
Peter Costello expects us to carry out our patriotic duty by going home and having more children. But for most people it is a struggle to bring up one child let alone two or three.

Federal Budget: Tax cuts for the rich!
For the Howard government, unemployed people are not even worth thinking about.

Private job network agency blues
Can you trust a private job network agency? No you can't! A friend of ours is registered at MTC Marrickville.

Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1

Centrelink puts the screws on prison debt
A 1999 study by the Brisbane Prisoners Legal Service revealed that on leaving prisoners had an average debt of $14,031. Almost one in five had a debt to Centrelink while in prison. This debt arose as a result inability to cancel things such as leases, Social Security payments, utilities and telephones.

Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out?
There used to be an old saying in Australia" if your hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence.

Six weeks, six months, six years: inmates have little chance of making fresh start Even prisoners who serve short sentences are likely to suffer long-term consequences, including increased rates of homelessness and unemployment.

Military Spending

Howard: We as a nation have got to invest heavily in defence?
Fascist Prime Minister John HoWARd has indicated the Government will make major changes to work place laws, cut disability support forcing the disabled to work and increase his defence commitment.

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Welcome to the Job Show: Corporate Welfare $$$$$$

KEVIN ANDREWS M.P. "THE JOB SHOW COMPANY". TENDERED JOB PROVIDER", OR A NICE BUSINESS EARNER FOR MY MATE "WAYNE VITNELL.

My name is Ian (taffy) Evans, I'm a 54 year old unemployed truck driver, who is on the federal government's Newstart allowance.

A few week's ago I was asked by the "Salvation Army Employment " plus here in Springvale to attend a (3) week full-time job search program via a COMPANY CALLED "THEJOBSHOW.COM.AU", run by (2) gentlemen by the name of "CHRIS BARTON, PLUS WAYNE VITNELL".

A few days into this course "WAYNE VITNELL ADMITS THAT HE IS A PERSONAL FRIEND OF"THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS KEVIN ANDREWS M.P"

I had the feeling that this so-called job search training program, was not tendered as in a normal business way, maybe like just ask my good mate "KEVIN ANDREWS M.P.Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

See this endorsement from this website

Welcome to The Job Show

Looking for a job?

The Job Show provides job search support and training - we offer you the right advice and knowledge to get the job that suits you by starting with you, the individual and linking you with the people most likely to meet your employment needs. Pay a visit to the job coach.

Looking for staff?

The Job Show offers employers who are looking for staff the opportunity to meet with employees who know what they want to do and are motivated to achieve their goals and potential. Lodge your vacancies here.

Foreword to "The Job Show" Website

As Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, I welcome Wayne Vitnell and Chris Barton's launch of The Job Show website and their goal of helping more Australians into work.

The Coalition Government has a strong employment record, with more people in work now than at any time in Australia's history. Indeed, more than 1.6 million jobs have been created since the Government came to office in 1996, with over half of these being full-time positions.

This Government's economic management has led to low inflation and interest rates, which are necessary for jobs growth.

Strong jobs growth has also helped push the unemployment rate to its lowest level in about 28 years. We now have a labour market the likes of which we have not seen for a generation.

The Government's workplace reforms have also contributed to this, by creating a more flexible workplace relations system, which has led to more jobs and higher wages for more Australians. That is important because having a job is about much more than earning an income; it means a higher standard of living and peace of mind for Australian families.

Despite these achievements, the Government will not rest on its laurels. Some Australians continue to face real difficulties securing employment.

The Government is determined to create more jobs for more Australians and will continue to develop policies to ensure that disadvantaged job seekers in particular have the opportunity to secure employment. This includes improvements to the Job Network system and further workplace relations and welfare reform.

While the Government has an important role in helping Australians find employment, it cannot work alone, and welcomes the efforts of those in the private and community sectors.

The Job Show is an example of how independent organisations are seeking to provide services which help both job seekers find work and employers to hire quality staff.

I congratulate Wayne and Chris for their achievements to date and look forward to the ongoing development of The Job Show.

Kevin Andrews Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

The above is a good plug for some old mates from Adelaide eg Wayne vitelli to his old mate Kevin Andrews M.P Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

At first "jobshow.com.au did not have a working website, now they have got a working website that works.

When you delve deeper into this website you find at the just contact us area, all you get is mobile phone numbers of "Chris Barton, plus Wayne Vitnell, you would think that on the website there would be a full postal address, plus you also would like too see a "Australian business number (ABN).

We also heard on the grapevine that these (2) fellows will be sending a service fee into the federal government of over $1000 dollars per unemployed person on this so-called training program ???

Please can you look into this new area of jobsearch trainers via the "employment plus Springvale programs for us unemployed? I look forward to hear your opinion of the above issue, plus check out the website The Job Show.

It is hard enough being unemployed dealing with the job net work providers at the best of times, but when you come across a scam deal set up to make huge monies out of us unemployed dudes, you realize what a bunch of crooks in power are running our country.

On working behind the lies these parasites"wordsmiths"come up with, you see a pattern of getting paid over $1000 dollars per unemployed dude over (3) weeks course, when from day one on our attendance list we had over (25) dudes would should turn up for this course,$1000 x 25 dudes x 3 weeks course = nice money what ?

When you try to enter the http://www.jobhow.com.au website they assume that "macromedia flash player" is enabled on your computer, so I think most dudes don't click on their download link to make the web site work, so they can not even get a web site to work properly.

By Taffy 16 may 2005

Best Regards
IAN (TAFFY) EVANS.
taff@alphalink.com.au

Related:

Pity Labor Couldn't be United over Social Services Cuts?
HoWARd/Costello (funny fellow) Big Mac and Small Fries. And Beazely's Kentucky Fried Two Piece Snack Box for those on minimum wages who should be enjoying - better Medicare Rebates, Public Housing, Hospitals, Education and Transport Infrastructure but instead get just $6.00.

Happy mothers day: Single mums forced to work!
AUSTRALIA can no longer sustain its warfare system, but can sustain the social dollar and that depends on where your priorities are? USA/Iraq or Australia?

HoWARd Gov't could be slued, community warns
Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) members will join a rally in Victoria Square today, protesting against the anticipated changes to workplace relations.

Work for the dole and prison industry slavery
Work for the dole certainly offers a lot of variety. The impression given by the government is that most unemployed do creative and helpful work assisting the community.

'Social Services cheats' may face election next time around
The Federal fascist HoWARd Government is attacking the poor and underprivileged again (on all fronts - now including social services, disabled, single mothers, Medicare rebate and IVF treatment.

Single parents deserve a living wage and not persecution
Being a single parent is hard work. It means a lot of responsibility. But you are not paid properly to do this work. You are paid way below what is recognised as the poverty line. StandUp! Believes that looking after a child is a job and should be paid for like any other job.

Labor sees problems in welfare proposals
The Federal Opposition says proposed changes to Australia's welfare system are a cost-cutting measure and will leave disability and sole parent pensioners worse off.

Dismantle the war machine, slash taxes, privatisation and keep social services The Centre for Independent Studies report says the flat-rate income tax of 10 per cent would ensure most Australians could afford to pay for essential services such as health and education, instead of relying on welfare [social service] payments.

Costello to force single mums to look for work?
SINGLE mothers would be forced to look for work once their children reached school age, under a draconian welfare package outlined last night by fascist Pastor Peter Costello to bolster funds to spend on military hardware and the ongoing illegal and degrading war in Iraq.

The HoWARd Government is simply robbing the disabled blind
KERRY O'BRIEN: Federal cabinet adjourned today still undecided about the final formula for what has become politically one of the toughest reform challenges the Government will face this term. For the past two decades, the disability support pension has been one of the fastest growing welfare payments [social security payments.]

Encouragement is the key to social-services-to-work programs
Corporate Welfare! I think we should start with Ingeus Company. Telling us what we already know for $$$$!

Peter Saunders shake-up is long overdue: Welfare Not Warfare
Peter Saunders: Many DSP claimants are older men with limited skills who have had difficulty finding work?

Welfare Reform for Warfare Expenditure?
John Howard: "Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently ... [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable."

Govt plots post-July strategy?
Fascist Prime Minister insists he is not on a mission to punish welfare recipients [social services.]

HoWARd 'determined' to make the disabled woRK?
The Federal Government is considering a system of "coercion" and incentive to force the disabled to work. But what happened to 6 billion-budget surpluses? Why do they need to force disabled people to work? Do they need more money and less disabled people? Or do would they rather spend the money on WAR?

Opposition pension claims valid
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while spending billions on military hardware is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Thousands march for disability protest
"We are not prepared to go back to the dark ages. This has to be reversed," Mr Preston said. "We are hoping that the community sees that we shouldn't be taking money from people with disabilities. These people have had it tough all their lives (and) there is already more unmet need than we can cope with."

Howard's Job Network Bailout
Up to 670,000 people on disability support pensions will be encouraged to sign up to the Job Network under a radical new plan to get disabled people off welfare and into work.

THE HILLSONG'S ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF ' NEO-LIBERALISM' Only a bent mind would envisage the possibility or think of the concept that a '2nd Neo-Liberal 'front' promoted by the right and posing as a Church would enter politics under the flag of "Family First Party".

Costello, Howard's Disciple
JOHN HOWARD AND PETER Costello lost their vision for Australia from the time they were elected and embarked on a vision for the neo-Liberals.

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel?
Well praise the Lord the light is Hell bent here on Peter Costello, treasurer of the Howard Government who now has his own "flock" of onward Christian Soldiers.

Corporate Welfare

Corporate welfare or how to steal social services?
Ever wondered why there are so many homeless, why we need a 10 pc GST, lack of services for mental disability, still paying off the Olympics, poor public transport planning etc etc etc?

Unemployed:

Work for the dole is legal slavery
Work for the dole was originally sold to us by Howard as a warm and fuzzy light work project. We would be working for nothing but we would be enjoying giving back something to the community, so it was reckoned.

FIGHT UNEMPLOYMENT!
Peter Costello commended this result in his budget speech. Even if we were to believe this figure it still means more than half a million living at a level much lower than that is recognised as poverty.

Mark Latham's, token gestures for older unemployed
StandUp appreciates the fact that Mark Latham is concerned about older unemployed people. His specialist job network proposal aimed at older people might provide a bit of assistance.

Work for the dole failure for two thirds
THE Un-Australian: " MORE than a third of the people who completed the Howard Government's work-for-the-dole programs last year were in jobs or studying within three months of finishing.

Work for the dole? $10.00?
StandUp! Wishes to draw your attention to a serious attack on all of us--work for the dole. We were assured that unemployed would not be forced to work in areas where employed workers would normally be employed. This has shown to be a lie! Under work for the dole, unemployed have been forced to carry out; concreting, tiling, landscaping, repairs, renovation, painting, gardening, nurses and teachers aid work.

'WORK FOR THE DOLE' REDUCES JOB PROSPECTS
A major independent study commissioned by the Government and released today under Freedom of Information by The Australian newspaper indicates that the 'Work for the Dole' program actually reduces the job prospects of unemployed people.

Youth welfare system unfair: ACOSS
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is warning urgent action is needed to fix youth poverty and disincentives for the unemployed to improve their job prospects.

Bringing up children Can we afford it?
Peter Costello expects us to carry out our patriotic duty by going home and having more children. But for most people it is a struggle to bring up one child let alone two or three.

Federal Budget: Tax cuts for the rich!
For the Howard government, unemployed people are not even worth thinking about.

Private job network agency blues
Can you trust a private job network agency? No you can't! A friend of ours is registered at MTC Marrickville.

Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1

Centrelink puts the screws on prison debt
A 1999 study by the Brisbane Prisoners Legal Service revealed that on leaving prisoners had an average debt of $14,031. Almost one in five had a debt to Centrelink while in prison. This debt arose as a result inability to cancel things such as leases, Social Security payments, utilities and telephones.

Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out?
There used to be an old saying in Australia" if your hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence.

Six weeks, six months, six years: inmates have little chance of making fresh start Even prisoners who serve short sentences are likely to suffer long-term consequences, including increased rates of homelessness and unemployment.

Military Spending

Howard: We as a nation have got to invest heavily in defence?
Fascist Prime Minister John HoWARd has indicated the Government will make major changes to work place laws, cut disability support forcing the disabled to work and increase his defence commitment.

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Govt supports withholding information from disabled

The Howard Government has defended a new push by Centrelink to force more disabled people to the Job Network, including those who are unable to work and would lose benefits including discount travel, medical, pharmaceutical, power bills and telephone expenses.

It's just not fair for the probability of part time employment opportunities that merely change their status quo, taking away benefits that they survive on now, only to be dropped off down the track, starving for welfare when the job satisfaction diminishes, or when it is learned they could not achieve or attain the satisfaction of their employ.

The article posted on the ABC online is complete crap trying to shunt the disabled in with other groups of people who are unemployed yet trying to impose the same conditions on the disabled like their disability does not exist.

Why does the Howard government think people are stupid by disseminating propaganda aimed at those who will not suffer the consequences down the track?

To use the population to help him with forcing these people to conform regardless of their disability by shaming them into thinking they have no choice- regardless of how they feel they can cope. Or by being sneaky and withholding information relevant to them to make an informed choice?

One of our caseworkers for instance has to go home early because of epileptic fits but when they occur, not when it suits his respective employ. These are the difficulties facing the disabled. That they will be used then spat out by the Howard government just to prove or show that employment figures are down.

I work with the disabled and they can do volunteer work but for the most part are disabled, some cannot write their own name and we have to write it for them, on any despatch or just for signing simple process work. Some have to leave work because of stress they cannot deal with.

A leaked memo from Centrelink tells staff 'not to volunteer information to single parents and disability support pensioners that they do not have to go to an employment agency'.

Workforce Participation Minister Peter Dutton supports any effort to push more people off welfare and over the edge.

"The direction as I understand on my quick reading of the document now is that the Centrelink officers are saying that there is a very successful Job Network out there operating in the country," he said.

"If you are able to work and you are interested in working wouldn't that be a great outcome for you and your family?" he said.

No! If you're disabled and pushed over the edge contrary to your medical practitioners advice or your ability then expect the worst possible scenario.

Not for the likes of Dutton but because if you were able to work you'd be working. Most disabled people already do part time work and that does not seem to have rung any bells even though it has been said many, many times over.

I advise all the disabled people to write to Mr Dutton and tell him about how it is for them in relation to having information withheld that would otherwise give them a choice.

And to deduct the volunteer work from the overall cost of support that they give back to the community in terms of their initiative given by these dedicated people, regardless of their disability.

But handle that the wrong way, say by force or withholding relevant information and you move into a disaster area not just for them but also for the community, they already support, and including people like themselves.

The disabled people I know are already delivering a service to the community in their capacity that it seems Howard and his cronies has little or no regard for even though without such dedication the community would go without, leaving an even greater amount of people looking for community support networks that have been demolished.

Another Howard government initiative! But the disabled aren't laughing just crying because of Howard's blatant ignorance trying to withhold information from people who can ill afford being mistreated.

By Justice Action 10 December 04

Related:

HoWARd 'determined' to make the disabled woRK?
The Federal Government is considering a system of "coercion" and incentive to force the disabled to work.

Disability

Opposition pension claims valid
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while spending billions on military hardware is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Thousands march for disability protest
"We are not prepared to go back to the dark ages. This has to be reversed," Mr Preston said. "We are hoping that the community sees that we shouldn't be taking money from people with disabilities. These people have had it tough all their lives (and) there is already more unmet need than we can cope with."

Military Spending

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Unemployed:

Work for the dole is legal slavery
Work for the dole was originally sold to us by Howard as a warm and fuzzy light work project. We would be working for nothing but we would be enjoying giving back something to the community, so it was reckoned.

FIGHT UNEMPLOYMENT!
Peter Costello commended this result in his budget speech. Even if we were to believe this figure it still means more than half a million living at a level much lower than that is recognised as poverty.

Mark Latham's, token gestures for older unemployed
StandUp appreciates the fact that Mark Latham is concerned about older unemployed people. His specialist job network proposal aimed at older people might provide a bit of assistance.

Work for the dole failure for two thirds
THE Un-Australian: " MORE than a third of the people who completed the Howard Government's work-for-the-dole programs last year were in jobs or studying within three months of finishing.

Work for the dole? $10.00?
StandUp! Wishes to draw your attention to a serious attack on all of us--work for the dole. We were assured that unemployed would not be forced to work in areas where employed workers would normally be employed. This has shown to be a lie! Under work for the dole, unemployed have been forced to carry out; concreting, tiling, landscaping, repairs, renovation, painting, gardening, nurses and teachers aid work.

'WORK FOR THE DOLE' REDUCES JOB PROSPECTS
A major independent study commissioned by the Government and released today under Freedom of Information by The Australian newspaper indicates that the 'Work for the Dole' program actually reduces the job prospects of unemployed people.

Youth welfare system unfair: ACOSS
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is warning urgent action is needed to fix youth poverty and disincentives for the unemployed to improve their job prospects.

Bringing up children Can we afford it?
Peter Costello expects us to carry out our patriotic duty by going home and having more children. But for most people it is a struggle to bring up one child let alone two or three.

Federal Budget: Tax cuts for the rich!
For the Howard government, unemployed people are not even worth thinking about.

Private job network agency blues
Can you trust a private job network agency? No you can't! A friend of ours is registered at MTC Marrickville.

Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1

Centrelink puts the screws on prison debt
A 1999 study by the Brisbane Prisoners Legal Service revealed that on leaving prisoners had an average debt of $14,031. Almost one in five had a debt to Centrelink while in prison. This debt arose as a result inability to cancel things such as leases, Social Security payments, utilities and telephones.

Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out?
There used to be an old saying in Australia" if your hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence.

Six weeks, six months, six years: inmates have little chance of making fresh start Even prisoners who serve short sentences are likely to suffer long-term consequences, including increased rates of homelessness and unemployment.

Mark Latham's, token gestures for older unemployed

StandUp appreciates the fact that Mark Latham is concerned about older unemployed people. His specialist job network proposal aimed at older people might provide a bit of assistance.

But the main issue is not the deficiencies of older people. It is the prejudice of employers. These days in some professions one can be over the hill at aged forty. This is a disgrace.

Under the Anti Discrimination Act, discrimination against the aged as well as sex, religion, sexual preference, transgender status, race etc. is supposed to be illegal but in reality this is extremely difficult to enforce.

If an employer were challenged on this issue, he or she would merely find another excuse for not employing the older job applicant.

There is no compulsory Work for the Dole for those over fifty. There should be no forced Work for the dole for anyone. But job network agencies find other ways of persecuting us.

One fifty five year old told us how he was forced to go to his agency office several days a week to sit all day in front of a computer -- looking for jobs which simply are not there.

Mark Latham has a knack of making policy initiatives on significant issues ignored by the Howard Government. It is indeed timely that older unemployed be put on the political agenda. But Latham is at best only offering band-aid solutions.

In no way is he guaranteeing jobs? In no way will he enforce employers to change attitude and in no way will he guarantee the right to work.

StandUp supports the right to work for everyone. No matter how old we are we still need a decent income. Working is the way to get it. Many of us also like to work as we find it creative fulfilling, providing satisfaction and for the social life. We should have the right to work if we want to irrespective of how old we are.

By StandUp NEWS posted 21 July 04

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Howard's Job Network Bailout

Up to 670,000 people on disability support pensions will be encouraged to sign up to the Job Network under a radical new plan to get disabled people off social services and into work.

The Government believes as many as 150,000 people on disability pensions will move off social security and into jobs if the pilot scheme is expanded, potentially saving $1billion a year in social welfare payments.

But industry sources told us the pilot was effectively a bail-out of the 12 Job Network providers who had told the Government they were facing a funding crisis.

One of the nation's largest job agencies that helps unemployed disabled people find work collapsed last month.

The provider, Options Community Enterprise, employed more than 120 people across nine sites in Australia and was forced into voluntary administration after running out of money.

Job Network providers will be offered cash to run advertising campaigns to promote the scheme and to employ staff to contact disability pension recipients.

They will also receive a "commencement fee" of between $800 and $1200, and between $1100 and $6600 each time they place a disabled person in work.

[Corporate welfare!]

This payment is considerably more than the $60 to $90 fee the agents currently receive for handling ordinary first-time job-seekers.

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations deputy secretary Bob Correll told us yesterday the scheme would save taxpayers money and offer disability pension recipients the training and intensive assistance they required to re-enter the workforce.

"We believe that one in five people who are on the disability support pension could potentially move into employment," Mr Correll said.

"The individual gains and the taxpayer gains because they don't have to pay for as many disability support pensions."

[At what cost to the social fabric, sick and disabled workers? Why is it all about taxpayers? What happens when those taxpayers become sick, disabled and can't work? Make then work? What about their entitlements, after being worked sick? They paid taxes and they have the right to social services and social security if they get sick or disabled.]

The new strategy is designed to reduce the $2.6billion a year the federal Government currently spends on disability pensions.

Under the six-month pilot program, disabled people will be contacted by phone or letter or through community service organisations, and disability pension recipients will be asked to sign up to training and job-search programs.

One-third of the people on the disability support pension have musculoskeletal or connective tissue conditions, and almost 25 per cent have psychological and psychiatric conditions.

Mr Correll revealed yesterday that the plan followed a policy direction from Treasury Secretary Ken Henry, who said Australia's main economic challenge was to increase the proportion of the population taking part in the labour market.

Twelve Job Network agencies already hired by the federal Government to assist disabled people have been given an extra $840,000 to trial the program.

[Corporate welfare!]

If the pilot proves successful, Mr Correll said the federal Government would pump more money into Job Network and ask all of Australia's 110 agencies to approach all disability support pension recipients.

He warned that employers would face skill shortages if they did not look to disabled people as potential workers.

People on the disability support pensions are not currently required to sign up with Job Network providers to receive social security payments. But the federal Government is hoping many will sign up after being convinced of the merits of work. [?]

Mr Correll warned that Australia desperately needed to stem the decline of labour market participation rates, a result of an ageing population.

He said his department was working with industry to identify the areas where disabled people could work, with retail and hospitality at the top of the list.

[To bad about all that money wasted on war? How is that more important than an ageing population that needs a social security net after working all their lives?]

Six of the 12 Job Network providers have signed up to the pilot scheme and Mr Correll said he expected the other six to come on board.

[Why not it's corporate welfare. Why pay disabled people a living wage when they can force them to work and pay corporations their sick benefits?]

Mr Correll denied it was a bail-out but did concede it might help with their financial problems.

"This could reduce the number of people on disability support pensions . . . so it could save the Government money," he said.

Ed: You want to save the government money then get out of Afghanistan and Iraq and spend those billions on social security for disabled people who can't work. Allow the ex-prisoners to work regardless of past mistakes see links.

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