Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Australia (Ratification: 1969)

The Committee notes the comprehensive information contained in the Government’s report for the period ending in June 2005, as well as the detailed replies in response to its 2003 direct request.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government indicates that it contributes to the promotion of full, productive and freely chosen employment through supporting jobseekers with income support and providing customized active labour market assistance through the Job Network that operates within the framework of the Active Participation Model (APM). The APM, introduced in July 2003, offers simplified access and streamlined services, while providing jobseekers with continuous service that increases on the basis of time unemployed and individual need. These measures are supported by targeted industry strategies that improve connections between employers and employment services. In response to the need to increase workforce participation, the Government indicates that it has announced, in its 2005-06 budget, a comprehensive reform of the welfare system. The key focus of the reform is on increasing the workforce participation of individuals who have been traditionally outside the labour market - parents, mature age jobseekers, people with disabilities and the very long-term unemployed - while maintaining a strong safety net for those who need it. The Committee asks the Government to keep providing in its next report any available assessment of the effect which the reforms in the welfare system have had on employment. The Committee also requests that the Government give information on parents traditionally outside the labour market and on the specific reforms designed to increase their labour market participation.

2. For the period covered by the report, the Government indicates that employment growth has been particularly strong. The data contained in the Government’s report for that period show that during this period:

-  the level of unemployment decreased by 1.2 per cent to 528,500, to stand at 5.0 per cent, its lowest level since November 1976;

-  the female labour force participation rate has risen from 56.1 to 57.2 per cent while the male labour force participation rate has increased by 0.9 percentage points to 72.4 per cent;

-  the number of people who were long-term unemployed declined by 41,300, falling by 27,400 for males and by 13,800 for females;

-  despite varying patterns of labour-market activity, employment has increased by 571,900 or 6.1 per cent;

-  the unemployment rate for older jobseekers stood at 2.9 per cent in June 2005 and remains well below that for persons aged 15 to 44;

-  the unemployment rate for teenage workers (aged 15-19 years old) fell by 2.0 per cent reaching 19.8 per cent;

-  the unemployment rate for non-English speakers decreased from 7.9 per cent in June 2003 to 6.2 per cent in June 2005.

3. In reference to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government states that there was a marked improvement in both the number of placements and the number of long-term jobs achieved for jobseekers by Job Network members and other job placement organizations. In the 2004-05 financial year, there were over 665,800 placements recorded by Job Network members and other job placement organizations, which represents an increase of 29 per cent from the previous year. The Committee takes due note of these data and asks the Government to continue to provide information on the outcome of these programmes, and on progress made in improving equity of access and balancing quality and flexibility.

4. Further to previous comments concerning the implementation of a programme of further assistance for indigenous Australians: Australians Working Together, the Government indicates that more indigenous jobseekers access Australia’s mainstream employment service, Job Network, than other elements of the indigenous Employment Policy combined. In the financial year 2004-05, a total of over 9,900 long-term jobs were recorded by Job Network members and other job placement organizations for Indigenous jobseekers, more than double the previous year. The Committee would appreciate continuing to receive information on promotion of employment for indigenous people.

5. Participation of the social partners. In reference to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government explains that social partners are widely consulted on reforms and programmes with an impact on employment. It refers to the consultations that took place in connection with the Job Network, the Australians Working Together programme and the reforms in the welfare system. The Government also indicates that similar consultations will take place to help the implementation of the Welfare-to-Work package announced in the 2005-06 budget. The Committee has taken note of this information and trusts that the Government will continue to provide, in its next report, updated information on how representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations are regularly consulted on employment promotion issues (Article 3).