Amanda Rishworth says jobseekers will no longer be forced to submit ‘endless’ pointless job applications

Welfare advocates say while the reforms are a step in the right direction, the privatised employment services model has failed and should be torn up

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Mutual obligations will be different for every welfare recipient, the employment minister, Amanda Rishworth, says, signalling an end to jobseekers being forced to submit “endless” applications for roles they may not be qualified for.

But welfare advocates and a key trade union have said Labor’s employment system changes don’t go far enough and fall short of the reform needed to the failure-plagued sector – they have called for an end to the privatised job services mode,l which Rishworth admits is not providing enough help.

At the lower level, a digital service with “individualised resources and brief interventions” for people who are work-ready but need help finding the right job fit;

a “targeted provider-led” stream to help people build skills and confidence to gain employment;

and at the upper end, more intensive services for people with complex requirements, who will be given more time, flexibility and support to build their confidence and capabilities.