Job matching platform SEEK, the Business Council of Australia, academic and policy experts, and members of the youth advocacy and entrepreneurship sectors will appear before the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services at a public hearing in Canberra on Friday 11 August 2023.
The hearing will focus on how the employment services system should support and work with employers, entrepreneurs, and younger people.
Committee Chair, Mr Julian Hill MP, said “Employment services have failed to meet the needs of employers. Nowhere is this clearer than in the fact that while employers across Australia are crying out for staff, there are now more long-term unemployed people than before the pandemic.
“Mounting evidence suggests the system has a distorted and perverted focus on supply, and not enough on demand. Or in plain English, case managers are too tied up policing unemployed people without enough focus on working with employers and matching people to actual jobs.
“The Committee is all ears, keen to hear ideas for reforms to Australia’s employment services system which could boost demand-led solutions, facilitating more effective workforce planning, recruitment, and lasting employment outcomes.
“We are also interested to listen and learn more about SEEK’s submission—which suggests government is unnecessarily duplicating services—and SEEK’s proposal for change.
“Youth specialist services are important and any reforms must consider the unique needs of younger jobseekers and how they engage with services.”
Further information about the inquiry, including Terms of Reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, is available on the inquiry website.
Public hearing details
Date 11 August 2023
Time 12.45pm – 5.00pm
Location Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra
Witnesses SEEK Ltd
Dr Ann Nevile
Business Council of Australia
Australian Entrepreneurs Alliance
Paul Ramsay Foundation
Australian Youth Affairs Coalition
A live audio broadcast of the hearing will be available via the Parliament’s Watch, Read, Listen website.
Media inquiries
Mr Julian Hill MP, Chair: Julian.Hill.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9791 7770
For background information
Committee Secretariat: (02) 6277 2220 waes.reps@aph.gov.au
