The Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) and Mission Australia say a strategic state government focus is needed to tackle Tasmania’s unemployment rate, including the high level of long-term unemployment.
TasCOSS has welcomed commitments from the major parties during the state election campaign to assist young people, migrants and those with disability into employment but maintains that a clear focus and long-term strategy need to be developed.
Both organisations are concerned about Tasmanians who have been unemployed for long periods.
There are currently 5000 Tasmanians who have been without paid work for 52 consecutive weeks or more – or two per cent of the Tasmanian labour force. Of those, nearly half (2400) have been unemployed for 102 consecutive weeks or more.
“This cycle of exclusion from employment can be broken through programs that provide opportunities for workplace-based internships, mentorships and volunteering, and work readiness programs,” TasCOSS CEO Tony Reidy said today.
“A third of people who have been without work for a year or more are over the age of 45, so we need to ensure there is a range of training and workforce experience opportunities for unemployed Tasmanians of all ages,” Tony Reidy said.
“There are people in their mid-40s and 50s who have been laid off from jobs as particular industries decline and they can struggle to get back into the workforce,” Tony Reidy said.
“Poor education levels, skills associated with declining industries and employer perceptions are factors that can make it more difficult for older job-seekers to find paid work,” Tony Reidy said.
Mission Australia State Director Noel Mundy said his organisation was integrally involved in the employment issue as a Commonwealth job service provider and operator of work experience and jobs skills training programs.
“Mission Australia also provides emergency relief to people experiencing financial stress, and we know that unemployment or underemployment is a major cause of poverty in Tasmania,” Noel Mundy said.
“The employment programs individual organisations provide are vital. For example, Mission Australia will assist more than 1100 Tasmanians into paid employment this year,” Noel Mundy said.
“But if we’re going to address long-term unemployment state-wide, Tasmania also needs a holistic approach, with a suite of programs addressing the multiple barriers to employment, and investment in incentives to make it easier for employers to give the unemployed a chance,” Noel Mundy said.
“We need to look at what is working here in Tasmania and what is proving successful elsewhere, to drive employment and participation opportunities in this state,” Noel Mundy said.
In order to achieve a much-needed focus by the next government, TasCOSS has called for the appointment of a state Minister for Employment and Participation to head a new specialist Office for Employment to complement the work the Federal Government does on employment and workforce issues.
TasCOSS CEO Tony Reidy, Mission Australia State Director Noel Mundy
