AUWU Policy Blog: Fighting back with a seat at the table

In the wake of the release of the budget, we at the Australian Unemployment Union believe it is a good time to reflect on the question of unemployment in Australia and what exactly the government is doing about it. Today, there are 769,500 (or 6.2%) unemployed Australians – up from 453,100 in 2008. The level of underemployed people has also skyrocketed over this period – from 657,300 in 2008 to 1.069 million today. When the

THE AUSTRALIAN MAY 13, 2015 12:00AM Sarah Martin Political Reporter Canberra Income management in remote indigenous communities and low socioeconomic regions will be extended for three years as the government rolls out the new healthy welfare card. A funding boost of $147 million will continue income management in all current locations, supported with $25.6m for financial counselling and support services across two years. Mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s proposed healthy welfare card, which prevents the spending

8/05/2015 By The Australian Unemployment Union Australia’s jobs crisis has made graduating university an extremely stressful time for students. Figures released by Graduate Careers Australia show the unemployment rate for university graduates at record highs. The latest available figures released in 2014 reveal that 11.6% of students graduating with a bachelor degree failed to find employment and were still looking for full-time work four months after graduation. This figure is the highest since 1995 and has more

Work wanted. Source: TheAustralian The Australian, 15th January 2015 Martin Crowe THE federal government is falling behind on a key election pledge to create one million jobs over five years, in a blow to its economic agenda as experts warn that the target may never be achieved. Jobs are being created too slowly to reach the goal, just as Tony Abbott names “jobs and families” as his top priorities for the year ahead after a punishing

APR 25, 2015 LUKE WILLIAMSThe Saturday Paper The government’s new “jobactive” program has favoured American companies for lucrative employment services contracts. Nearly half of the Work for the Dole co-ordinator contracts tendered by the federal government have been awarded to two giant corporations, including one in a joint venture with a major Australian charity. Analysis of Work for the Dole contract documents by The Saturday Papershows MAXNetWork Pty Ltd, trading as MAX Solutions, is by