Senator Cash recklessly forces JobSeekers back into harmful jobactive system
The government's hatred of the poor will see unemployment cops to be put back on the beat while there are no jobs to be had
The Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union is sickened by the government’s callous decision to force millions of people to reengage with harmful job agencies from 28 September.
The government’s cruel decision makes no sense, it is purely ideological and based on hatred of the poor.
Senator Cash is putting unemployment cops back on the beat while there are no jobs to be had. Yesterday’s unemployment figures revealed the stark reality: there was no increase in hours worked and 1.7% of all employed people worked zero hours. Only a few thousand real jobs were created and the government knows it.
It’s now clear that the employment minister has no interest in getting people into jobs and has utter contempt for the people she is supposed to protect. Senator Cash is choosing to punish people for being out of work and prioritise lining the pockets of those charged with policing us.
The minister has pulled yet another political stunt, causing mass confusion and distress for vulnerable JobSeekers, by sending fellow government ministers out to drip-feed haphazard information to friendly media. She has repeatedly ignored the AUWU and other stakeholders’ calls to give us this information so that we can help the unemployed – something this government continually refuses to do.
Cash must answer for her disgraceful decision to give this information to job agencies before community sector stakeholders and the people whose lives are directly impacted by exposure to these farcical programs.
While ‘mutual’ obligations were suspended we received countless reports from people saying they feel properly equipped to look for work for the first time. Without any penalties for not applying for jobs, job ads were receiving more applications than ever before.
Media contact: 0413 261 362 / media at auwu.org.au
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