The Andrews Government has slashed the number of Victorians it aims to support to find a new job by an estimated 89 per cent over the coming financial year.
Figures released in last week's State Budget confirm that 13,828 Victorians secured employment through Jobs Victoria in 2022-23.
Despite this, Jobs Victoria will aim to support only 1,500 Victorians to find a new job over the coming year – an almost 90 per cent reduction over the preceding 12 months.
Jobs Victoria will have its budget significantly reduced from $25.1 million in 2023-24 to $10 million in 2024-25 and has no funding allocated from 2025-26 onwards.
The Victorian Government's Jobs portfolio has been slashed by more than 55 per cent over the next year, cut from $389.3 million in 2022-23 to $173 million in 2023-24.
This performance reduction comes as the State Budget also predicts an ongoing increase in Victoria's unemployment rate from a low of 3.75 per cent in 2022-23 to 4.75 per cent in 2025-26
In State Parliament's Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, the Andrews Government claimed job seekers will transition to Federal Government programs and that existing high numbers reflect jobs uncertainty in the late-Covid period, but admitted it is "notoriously hard" to predict further demand.
Shadow Minster for Employment, Bridget Vallence, said Victoria is broke and jobseekers are being made to pay the price for Labor's damaging decisions.
"The Andrews Government admits Victoria has a skills shortages and that unemployment will rise, but will be doing less to support disadvantaged jobseekers," Ms Vallence said.
"Job seekers want to know why the government is slashing funding for jobs creation by more than 55percent, or $216 million less, at a time when Victorians are doing it tough."
