Stories
We have published a number of stories from Antipoverty Centre surveys, the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union review app, news media and other sources on this site and will be adding to these over time to create an archive of material demonstrating the harms caused by “mutual” obligations and employment services providersCompliance with “mutual” obligations is enforced by outsourced employment se....
Anglicare report finds people in poverty locked out of employment
8 December 2022, Guardian Australia, Jordyn Beazley. Access the full article here. Anglicare says there…
Job agency makes money sending unemployed to course agency made
3 August 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Employability course created…
Government storing sensitive data without consent
25 July 2022, Vice Australia, John Buckley. Access the full article here. Ensnared in controversy…
Mutual obligations harming the homeless, disabled and First Nations’ the most
25 November 2021, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Those experiencing homelessness,…
Staff review: Provides no value to job seekers
AimBig loses contracts over poor performance
24 August 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. AimBig one of…
-
Podcast: Job seekers sent to body language courses for job agents to profit
1 September 2022, Guardian Australia, Presented by Laura Murphy-Oates and Reported by Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full audio here. Jobseekers are being forced to travel hundreds of kilometres, miss work and complete training courses they don’t need to qualify for unemployment benefits. Luke Henriques-Gomes explains to Laura Murphy-Oates why…
-
Job agency says to scrap ‘mutual obligations’
13 March 2023, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Another key industry player suggested government should shut down the work-for-the-dole scheme Some job agencies running the federal government’s flagship employment services program, Workforce Australia, are arguing for a review or overhaul of the…
-
Welfare system puts disadvantaged at risk, ombudsman
13 March 2023, Guardian Australia, Paul Karp. Access the full article here. Mutual obligationParticipation requirements welfare recipients must fulfil each month to continue… system subjects some participants to ‘punitive conditions’, commonwealth ombudsman says Australia’s mutual obligationParticipation requirements welfare recipients must fulfil each month to continue... system for welfare risks “subjecting disadvantaged participants to unreasonably…
Employment services survey
The Punishment for Profit report is based on hundreds of responses to surveys conducted by the Antipoverty Centre. This research is ongoing. If you are in Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services or a similar program, we welcome any information you are able to share about your experiences.