ACT Social Services Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman is accusing the Government of creating a vast underclass of people unable
to hold a place in the workforce.
Dr Newman today revealed Government figures which show that nearly half of the long term unemployed people placed into
stable jobs in the financial year ended June 30, 2001 had re-registered as unemployed by the beginning of December.
"I find it astonishing and alarming that out of 12,578 people unemployed for over a year who landed jobs, some 5,300
were out of work again months down the track.
"The legacy of this Government will be a whole underclass of unemployable people snared in the dependency trap at great
financial and social cost to the country.
"Employment Minister Steve Maharey talks endlessly about `creating real jobs' but he's failed. While the sound economic
conditions Labour and the Alliance inherited have made it easier for the easily employable to find work, those who most
need help getting jobs are finding it harder and harder. They have been let down by this Government.
"Official figures show us that some 56,000 people have been out of work for the entire period Steve Maharey has been
Employment Minister. The number of people jobless for longer than two years has risen a staggering 27 percent under this
Government.
"The Minister's reaction to this parlous situation was to axe the successful work for dole programme for purely
ideological reasons, replacing it with schemes where participants don't have to turn up. He then spent $1.5 million of
taxpayers' money in a year creating just 54 jobs through his Community Employment Organisations scheme. He hasn't a clue
what to do.
"ACT is committed to putting emphasis on engaging the long term unemployed in 40 hour-a-week job seeking and training
schemes. Unless there are Government-led changes which genuinely assist those who have difficulty finding a place in the
workforce, then we as country will continue to see long-term unemployed numbers rise with all the associated social
problems that brings," Dr Newman said.
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