19 June 2022, Guardian Australia, Sarah Martin. Access the full article here.
Tony Burke aims to make scheme ‘logical’, despite unemployment advocates’ calls for halt to controversial program
The employment minister, Tony Burke, says it is too late to scrap a controversial points-based mutual obligationParticipation requirements welfare recipients must fulfil each month to continue... system for jobseekers, insisting the concept is “right”, but needs tweaking.
Advocates have been calling on the new Albanese government to scrap, or at least pause, the the “points-based activation system” (Pbas), which requires jobseekers to earn 100 “points” through job search or other activities including study, training, hours of employment or work for the doleWork for the Dole is a program that applies to people in the mainstream Workforc....
The new system, which starts 1 July, replaces the heavily criticised JobActive program that required jobseekers to lodge 20 job applications a month.
It’s actually too late to not have a points system at all
– Tony Burke, Employment Minister
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.