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.
Jobactive virus kickbacks top $500 million
29 August 2020, The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton. Access the full article here. Government policies…
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,…
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…
Living on Centrelink payments means jumping through hoops and living on scraps – will it ever end?
5 October 2021, Guardian Australia, Lysa Llyod. Access the full article here. Life for those…
Analysis: In Australia’s welfare sector obligations are ‘mutual’, but profits flow only one way
6 August 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. As jobseekers face…
63-year old forced to do 250km round trip to keep payments
17 July 2022, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Woman from Yorketown…
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ParentsNext needs to be replaced, inquiry finds
1 March 2023, Guardian Australia, Luke Henriques-Gomes. Access the full article here. Parliamentary panel calls for sweeping changes to Coalition’s $484m program including easing harshest compliance requirements The chair of a parliamentary inquiry into the controversial ParentsNext program has described the suggestion that in some…
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Committee hears about punitive ParentsNext program
18 January 2023, Guardian Australia, Stephanie Convery. Access the full article here. Committee hears ParentNext program is ‘punitive and prescriptive’, with threats of payment suspensions ‘significantly detrimental’ for families The chair of a parliamentary inquiry into the controversial ParentsNext program has described the suggestion that…
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AimBig told to apologise over bullshit course
17 January 2023, Guardian Australia, Stephanie Convery. Access the full article here. Participant in BusyBeans program told the disability royal commission the training left her with a ‘broken life’ A company that received nearly $1m in federal government funding has been advised by the disability…
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.