Australia's largest network of businesses, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has welcomed the announcement by Kelly O'Dwyer, Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations, of reforms to employment services.
"For too long, government-funded employment services has been bogged down in red tape and unable to focus on the needs of employers as well as job seekers," Australian Chamber CEO, James Pearson, said.
"The reforms announced today go a long way towards putting in place a system that will lift the engagement of employers.
"Only four percent of employers currently use the system. For the sake of job seekers and their potential employers, we must do much better than that.
"The combination of better use of digital technology, and more personalised attention to those job seekers that need it the most, picks up the recommendation of the Independent Panel chaired by Sandra McPhee. The Australian Chamber is proud to have been an active member of the panel, on behalf of employers.
"The new system should be better positioned to tap into existing job vacancies and to better connect with successful programs. That must include local initiatives outside of employment services that are doing good work in helping the unemployed find suitable work.
"The proposed more flexible approach to mutual obligation should improve the effectiveness of the requirements on the job seeker, as it will focus on the quality as well as the quantity of the effort.
"We look forward to working with the Federal Government to ensure that the new employment services system works for both employers and job seekers."
The Australian Chamber speaks for over 300,000 businesses employing millions of Australians in every sector of our economy and in every part of our country
