Page 535 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 1993
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their critical start-up phase. Members would be aware that early in the new year I wrote to the Canberra business community, encouraging them to consider employing additional young people. We set up a hot line so that those considering employing additional people could get immediate information on all available government assistance, including that from the Commonwealth. I am pleased to say that 130 businesses responded and 31 people who did not have jobs before now have jobs.
The strategy is working. Over the period January 1992 to January 1993, the number of people employed in the ACT increased by 11,600; that is an 8 per cent increase. Over the same period, the unemployment rate also fell from 8.2 per cent to 7.8 per cent. This is well below the national unemployment rate and it shows that, in contrast to the ramblings of the Opposition, the ACT Government is serious about unemployment.
As I mentioned earlier, the other aim of the fight against unemployment is to ensure that the unemployed have the skills necessary to fill jobs as they become available. The ACT Government has taken a number of initiatives over the last 12 months to raise the skills level of the unemployed. These initiatives include: The extension of the Commonwealth Jobskills program to the ACT, resulting in 270 training and work experience places for the long-term unemployed; the establishment of an ACT Jobskills program, providing training and work experience to another 100 additional long-term unemployed; a 30 per cent increase in funding for the employment and training grants program, to provide employment and training opportunities for the disadvantaged in the labour market, especially those likely to become long-term unemployed; and a 50 per cent increase in funding for the NEIS program, to support unemployed people wishing to establish their own self-employment ventures. These additional funds provide training and employment opportunities to nearly 600 people.
We have also established the ACT Youth Conservation Corps. Arrangements have been made to run the ACT Youth Conservation Corps and the Commonwealth's landcare and environment action program as joint programs in the ACT. This has resulted in an enhanced program capable of providing specialised support to disadvantaged young people, as well as increasing the overall capacity of the programs in the ACT. Fifteen young people have commenced on-the-job training with the Australian War Memorial. During March, additional projects involving approximately 70 more places will be approved.
I turn to the women's work force development scheme. This initiative will provide 20 women with six months' work experience and training within the ACT Government Service. It targets women over 30 years of age who have been out of work for over two years. We have also conducted the working opportunities for women expo. The Government sponsored a major event on women's employment, education and training in November of last year, which provided practical hands-on advice for women considering entering or re-entering the work force or changing career direction. There were seminars, workshops, information booths and videos, all providing women with a wealth of information. Finally, there are the women's employment strategy grants.
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