Media spotlight on employment services
We are collecting examples of job agency abuse and related news media. If you have a story to add, please send it to us here.
Sarina Russo Jobs Access accused of dumping sensitive information in bin
28 July 2016, The Daily Mail, Sinead MacLaughlin. Access the full article here. Pages of…
“Job agent” caught blaming a job seeker for unemployment
23 February 2022, SBS News, Eden Gillespie. Access the full article here. WISE Employment and…
Welfare system puts disadvantaged at risk, ombudsman
13 March 2023, Guardian Australia, Paul Karp. Access the full article here. Mutual obligation system…
Job agency forces unemployed to do personality test
5 August 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Emma Rayward says…
‘It isn’t working’: the government’s Workforce Australia launch derailed by outages and errors
5 July 2022, Crikey, Cam Wilson. Access the full article here. Australians who risk losing…
New government flags employment services inquiry
2 August 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Labor supported $1.5bn-a-year…
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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…
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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…
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Welfare system puts disadvantaged at risk, ombudsman
13 March 2023, Guardian Australia, Paul Karp. Access the full article here. Mutual obligation system subjects some participants to ‘punitive conditions’, commonwealth ombudsman says Australia’s mutual obligation system for welfare risks “subjecting disadvantaged participants to unreasonably onerous and punitive conditions”, the commonwealth ombudsman has warned.…
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.
