25 July 2022, Vice Australia, John Buckley. Access the full article here.
Ensnared in controversy since launch, Workforce Australia continues to be a source of fear and distress for jobseekers around the country
Over the last fortnight, several jobseekers have tried to contact support staff at the government’s new employment services platform, Workforce Australia, to withdraw their consent to the platform’s collection of their private, sensitive information.
At the other end of the phone, however, the platform’s support staff have no idea what they are talking about.
Jeremy Poxon, a JobSeeker recipient and spokesperson for the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU), first tried to withdraw his consent to the collection of his sensitive information by Workforce Australia on July 12, nearly a fortnight after the platform launched.
So it’s completely reasonable for people to be very sceptical and concerned about the privacy of the information that they are being compelled to provide in order to participate in this program
– Samantha Floreani, program lead Digital Rights Watch Australia
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.