Having tabled its interim report into ParentsNext, the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services will turn its attention to the broader employment services system during a public hearing in Melbourne on Tuesday 14 March 2023. The Committee will hear from a range of witnesses including academic experts, peak and advocacy bodies, think tanks, and providers of Workforce Australia and government and non-government programs.
Committee Chair, Mr Julian Hill MP, said 'I want to reiterate that this will be a comprehensive, first-principles review. Nothing is off the table.'
'There is strong evidence that employment services have failed to invest in jobseekers and to support them into sustainable employment. The Committee has also heard that the system has caused harm to many of those it is intended to support and has neglected the needs of employers during a period of increased workforce demand.
Over the coming months, the Committee will conduct public hearings and site visits to explore employment service and alternative programs. We want to ensure we hear from as diverse a range of stakeholders as possible so that we can make sensible, evidence-based recommendations to optimise employment services in the future'.
Submissions are requested by 17 March 2023.
Community consultation sessions
Members of the Committee will be participating in community consultation sessions facilitated by the Brotherhood of St. Laurence on Monday 3 April 2023. The sessions—which will be in-person in the Melbourne CBD and online for anyone to attend nationally—are an opportunity for people with lived experience of employment services to share their stories and make suggestions for reform. If you would like to participate in one of these sessions, please register your interest at the link below.
Community consultation sessions: register your interest.
Further information about the inquiry, including Terms of Reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, are available on the inquiry website.
Public hearing details
Date 14 March 2023
Time 9.00am – 5.00pm AEDT
Location Room G.6, Victorian Parliament House, Springer Street, East Melbourne
Witnesses Professor Jeff Borland
Professor Mark Considine
Associate Professor Siobhan O'Sullivan
Professor Gaby Ramia
Dr Michael McGann
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Centre for Policy Development
Per Capita
National Employment Services Association
Jobs Australia
Jobs Victoria
APM Employment
IntoWork Australia
Jobfind Centres Australia
The hearing will be live broadcast via the Parliament's Watch, Read, Listen website.
