Monday 27 October 2014
Is the Abbott Government 'Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job' program shaping up to be a dud?
Tuesday 12 August 2014
Jobs and unemployment under the Abbott Government
On 18 September 2013 Tony Abbott and his merry band of right-wing ideologues formally took up the reins of federal government in Australia and began relentlessly talking down the Australian economy.
During that September the national unemployment rate stood at 5.6 per cent (seasonally adjusted) and the number of job advertisements was only 5% above the lowest level reached during the Global Financial Crisis:
The quiet desperation of the unemployed can be seen in the number of individuals vainly applying for the relatively small pool of jobs in 2013 - jobs for which employers believed most were not suitable:
Sunday 3 August 2014
Beliefs versus research in mainstream media
Friday 1 August 2014
Nationals MP for Cowper and Assistant Minister for Employment Luke Hartsuyker makes a fool of himself on the national stage
ABC News 28 July 2014:
Mr. Hartsuyker (as befits a member of the modern National Party of Australia) responded to a complex issue in a simplistic, one-dimensional media grab.
Thursday 31 July 2014
A taste of things to come with the Abbott Government unemployment policy or the flimsey excuse that will be used by Abbott & Co to further harry the unemployed?
Monday 28 July 2014
Federal Assistant Employment Minister Luke Hartsuyker and Ben Fordham indulge in jobseeker bashing during 2GB interview
In Job Seeker Compliance Data released for the March 2014 Quarter there were 858,104 jobseekers receiving unemployment benefits, of which 643,511 were active jobseekers who attended 2.215 million scheduled appointments with employment service providers.
For 2GB to call registered job seekers "dole bludgers" and Fordham to decide that all people who refuse jobs or do not turn up to interviews is because "they just can't be bothered" was dog whistling at its best.
That same month there were 143,600 job vacancies nationally and only 49,600 of these were in New South Wales according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Looking at jobs advertised online in the Northern River region it is likely that there were as few as 500-600 job vacancies in that February and most of these would not have been for permanent full-time employment.
Monday 18 November 2013
Nationals MP and Assistant Employment Minister Luke Hartsuyker indulges in job seeker demonization
Monday 22 April 2013
Australian Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey and national unemployment rates
Friday 14 October 2011
A Crikey whistle-blower bites the dust?
The Department is facing multi-million dollar lawsuits in which it does not have the capital to cover. Maybe this is the reason for Prime Minister Gillard appointing Dr Parkinson from the Department of Climate Change to the new role of Treasury Secretary to fund the bail-out.
…and sub-contracts training. The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency sub-contracts Price Waterhouse Coopers to manage the Home Insulation Safety and Rectification programs. Price Waterhouse Coopers sub-contract CSR Bradfords and United Group Limited to conduct inspections and rectifications of houses who had insulation installed under the failed pink batts program.
The Department is paying all training costs of CSR Bradfords staff to be trained as Home Insulation Safety Inspectors but not funding any component of United Group Limited contractors to undertake the same training. How much is the training costing the Australian tax payer and why the inequity in funding arrangements favouring one commercial organsiation over another?
And pink batts still cause grief. Almost 12 months after the Department of Climate Change cancelled its failed pink batts program installers are still no closer to finalising their affairs. Some businesses have gone into liquidation, losing everything they have, while others have resorted to other more desperate means by attempting to take their own lives (which the Department is well aware of). Still the Department mismanages the clean-up of this disastrous insulation program. Not that you would know with a number of executives in the Department responsible for the program getting performance bonuses, awards or promotions as a result of their participation.”
There was another mention of the department in Tips and rumours on 10th January 2011.
On 30th January 2011 this public servant lost his job and on 7th June 2011 his dismissal from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency was confirmed in a decision by Fair Work Australia. On 16th September 2011 an appeal of this decision was dismissed.
Sunday 7 March 2010
Lack of public facilities such as transport in rural and regional Oz
Last year the local community of ***** (name removed) buried young ****** (name removed).
***** hanged himself out of despair. Centrelink hounded him.
In order to pacify Centrelink ***** drove everywhere to find work, often in an unregistered vehicle as he had not the means to pay for registration.
Individuals like ***** end up driving, often without a licence, and more often in unregistered vehicles. The seeds of criminality begin this way, from despair.
Truth is, this is not an isolated incident.
Over to you Mr Rudd et al.
Source: Read this
Wednesday 5 August 2009
Possum Comitatus does June 2009 Australian labor force statistics by region
Once again Possum shines a light on statistics and gives an easily digestible representation of the growing mountain of numbers which now come our way thanks to the cyber highway.
This year the NSW North Coast continues showing an positive picture when it comes to falling unemployment rates.
The Tweed-Richmond & Mid North Coast showed a regional unemployment rate of 7.1% for the May quarter - a fall of 1.1% on the same quarter in 2008 and a regional rate of 6.3% for the June quarter 2009.
However, it must be remembered that this region starts from a chronically high rate compared to the New South Wales average and as people become discouraged by a lack of local employment prospects the workforce participation rate continues to be relatively low.
Thursday 9 April 2009
Job Services Australia 2009: unemployment service providers for the NSW North Coast
Providers for Job Services Australia will begin operation from July 1. There will be a 12 month transition period for job seekers to Job Services Australia providers........
Job Services Australia folds seven separate employment services programs into a 'one-stop-shop' that provides job seekers with a more personalised service......
There will be 116 contracts servicing job seekers across Australia. The 116 contracts comprise individual organisations or groups of organisations totalling 141 providers. They will be supported by at least 48 sub contractors.
There will be more than 2000 Job Service Australia sites across the nation, an increase from 1800 sites under the current system.........
Job seekers will receive a letter from April informing them of changes.
If job seekers have any queries they can call the customer service hotline 1800 805 260.
List of stream services by ESA:
Clarence NSW | ACET australia | Indigenous Australians | Grafton, Maclean, Yamba |
Key Employment | People with a disability | Grafton, Maclean | |
Nortec Employment and Training Limited | Generalist | Grafton, Yamba | |
Tursa Employment & Training Inc. | Generalist | Grafton, Maclean, Yamba |
Coffs Harbour NSW | ACET australia | Indigenous Australians | Coffs Harbour, Corindi Beach, Nambucca Heads |
Enterprise and Training Company Ltd | Generalist | Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo, Nambucca Heads, Toormina, Woolgoolga | |
Ngurrala Aboriginal Corporation | Indigenous Australians | Macksville, Nambucca Heads | |
Nortec Employment and Training Limited | Generalist | Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo, Nambucca Heads, Woolgoolga | |
Tursa Employment & Training Inc. | Generalist | Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Woolgoolga |
North Coast NSW | Bunjum Employment Services Pty Ltd ABN 45102978129 | Indigenous Australians | Ballina |
Jobfind Centres Australia Pty Ltd | Generalist | Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay | |
Nortec Employment and Training Limited | Generalist | Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay | |
Tursa Employment & Training Inc. | Generalist | Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby |
Richmond NSW | Job Futures Ltd | Youth At Risk | Casino, Kyogle, Lismore, Nimbin |
Jobfind Centres Australia Pty Ltd | Generalist | Casino, Lismore, Woodburn | |
Nortec Employment and Training Limited | Generalist | Casino, Kyogle, Lismore, Nimbin | |
Summit Employment and Training | Indigenous Australians | Casino, Kyogle, Lismore | |
Tursa Employment & Training Inc. | Generalist | Casino, Kyogle, Lismore | |
Yabur Yulgun CDEP Aboriginal Corporation | Indigenous Australians | Lismore |
Tweed NSW | Nortec Employment and Training Limited | Generalist | Bray Park, Kingscliff, Murwillumbah, Pottsville, Tweed Heads South |
The Salvation Army Employment Plus | Generalist | Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads South | |
Tursa Employment & Training Inc. | Generalist | Kingscliff, Murwillumbah, South Tweed Heads | |
Yabur Yulgun CDEP Aboriginal Corporation | Indigenous Australians | Tweed Heads |
Thursday 22 January 2009
What the masses are saying about King Rudd this week
The overall response was mixed, but if the Bananabenders are not really supporting their native son, then it must be on the nose with voters.
John Howard awarded his senior advisors bonuses and I had one thing to say "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID." Now Rudd does the same thing and I still only HAVE one thing to say "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID."
Posted by: andi of Ausie Ausie Ausie 11:38am today Comment 169 of 193
This make me ill.
I had to reduce my work hours at my work and take a pay cut. The union agreed that this was the case as all the floor workers reduced thier hours. My family is going to hurt because of the reduction of my wage but we will manage.
What happened to a 'fair go' Mr Rudd I voted for you to scrap IR laws and to secure not only mine but my kids future. I cant understand what you are saying you give us money to spend at Christmas then turn around and say we are greedy, then give your staff a pay rise. The tough economic times are not the fault of the ALP but what are Mr Rudd and MR Swann going to do other than talk? Why does Mr Rudd giving the elite a pay rise and the worker a bone. This is typical Johnny Howard and Pete Costello Liberal stuff not the ALP. Who side are you on Mr Rudd , because it doesnt look like you are on mine.
Posted by: Simon of Raceview 11:04am today Comment 149 of 193
He giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other ! Well, it's bound to happen when a man thinks that he is God !
Posted by: Brad Coward of Brisbane 8:29am today Comment 39 of 193
Rudd is just following the lead of his mates down the big end of town. Do a good job, get a bonus. Stuff things up completely, still get a bonus.
Posted by: oldefellah of Coral Coast 8:04am today Comment 22 of 193
The irony here is that Rudd's policy 'advisers' would have concocted his latest little spruik that - 'greed is bad, and workers must defer wage claims'. But then...some are more equal than others eh, comrade ?
Posted by: Alf of Carindale 8:04am today Comment 21 of 193
COMRADES ! Some of use are MORE EQUAL than others ! Oink Oink Oink. Greedy little piggies with their snouts in the trough.
Posted by: Denny Crane of Grange 8:01am today Comment 20 of 193
And from the blogs, this example.
The biggest enemy of "working families" is not the financial crisis. It is the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and his offensive and simplistic suggestion that middle Australia should show restraint in wage negotiations so as not to compromise their jobs.People are not morally obliged to remedy problems not of their doing. Families struggling to afford the necessities of modern life made no contribution to the financial problems. They owe nothing to the rest of community when it comes to wage negotiations.The suggestion that more money for bosses equals more jobs for workers breaks the laws of economics and human nature. Trickle-down economics has long been discredited; there are simply too many greedy sponges at the top. Rudd's call for wage restraint is a misguided justification for employers to exploit the vulnerable by undervaluing the toils of their labour.
From Notes on A Civil Society post on 21 January 2009
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Possum explains those Australian unemployment figures
It is always a joy to see Possum Comitatus breakdown the gobbledegook surrounding government agency statistics.
The Statistical Reality of the Unemployment Figures post was no exception and, although a job lost involves real pain (something we know well in the NSW Northern Rivers), it was enlightening to see how the statistical margin of error played out in the latest numbers:
The actual Labor Force Survey results can be easily downloaded, and toward the end of the document – pages 28 and 29 to be exact – the ABS has gone to the trouble of providing the standard errors of not only the point estimates of all the unemployment metrics, but also the standard errors of the monthly change in those metrics. It's quite nice of them to do that since the press doesn't seem to pay any bloody attention to them whatsoever. But their incompetence aside, what these standard errors allow us to do is create a maximum margin or error for the unemployment figures using a 95% Confidence Interval – just as we do with the polling, and more particularly, Pollytrack.....
First up, the change in Full Time job numbers. The seasonally adjusted point estimate suggested that 43,900 full time jobs were lost between November and December of 08. We can be nearly 100% confident that the 43,900 figure that is getting so much attention isn't actually true.
What we can say is that there is a 95% probability that the true change in full time job numbers was somewhere between a gain of 6300 full time jobs and a loss of 94100 jobs, for the margin or error attached to the 43900 full time job loss figure is a whopping 50200. .....
On the trend figures, the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.4%, full time employment dropped by 11,200 nationally and total employment increased by 2000.
Far from this being a terrible result requiring widespread bouts of wrist slashing – in the broader scheme of things and considering the state of the international economy, it's probably a remarkably good result. I say 'probably' because we must acknowledge the large uncertainty involved in the figures - the point estimates really aren't the gospel they are too often made out to be.
What happens in the future is unknowable, things might tank, things might not - but what we should all be aware of is just how much uncertainty is actually contained in these figures.
Of course it would be too optimistic to hope that Malcolm Turnbull and friends would approach these figures with a degree of calm.
Over at Liberal Party headquarters they were shouting out that there will be More Than Half A Million Australians Out Of Work and waxing lyrical about the Howard years.
While Access Economics (in attention getting language aimed at front page media coverage) is predicting 300,000 jobs will be lost in the next twelve months, but also appears to be predicting modest national growth by 2009-10.
By late last night Channel 10 News had hysterically taken the figure higher to a million unemployed
Think I'll place my trust in Poss and wait for more concrete figures to come in over the next year. Access Economics director Chris Richardson now cries Wolf! so often that I no longer find his media announcments all that credible.