The Hon. IAN GILFILLAN: I wish to focus my remarks on unemployment,
particularly youth unemployment. It is a tragic reflection on so many of
us that although we have acknowledged the devastation that unemployment
is having on young Australians we seem to be waiting for a mystical cure
that will transform the current situation into a feast of job opportunities
for young people. I think that most of us know in our heart of hearts that
that will not happen, or if does it will not be within generations of this
current generation of young people.
Therefore, the answer is to look at what we can do to give as
many of those young people as possible the opportunity to benefit from
having some form of formal work. One proposal that went past the thinking
stage was that of permanent part time work. This suggestion was first articulated
in detail by Senator John Siddons when he was in the Federal Parliament.
His idea was that there be a legislative requirement on employers of substantial
numbers of peopleóon those who employed more than 25 peopleóto have a position,
a work station, for the young unemployed who would fill that job with all
the trappings that would apply to a formal full-time jobótraining, discipline,
wage structure, superannuation and leave entitlements. In fact, John Siddons,
through his company, Sidchrome, Siddons Industries, Ramset, very successfully
used that scheme for several years, and there was a very high follow on
full time employment rate for those who took part in it.
Since then we have both travelled to Whyalla and we tried to
interest the local community into instituting that scheme there but with
certain variationsóit would need to apply to small business (not necessarily
big business) and there would be no legislative compulsion. It is with
some satisfaction that I want to share with members the good news that
Whyalla has embraced this scheme. Not only have several of the small business
employers, whom I approached to take part in this job sharing scheme, offered
places but also the Whyalla council has appointed its CEO to a working
party that I am convening to look at the application of this scheme in
Whyalla. The CEO of the Whyalla Economic Development Board has been nominated
and has agreed to be on the working party. The Premier himself wrote to
me in early May indicating strong support for this suggestion, for which
I congratulate him. I want to put on the record that I believe that it
is to his credit that he has shown no desire to play petty politics about
the matter, and if it is a good scheme he will throw his weight behind
it and will provide people in his department to continue the discussion.
The Whyalla Employment Brokers, which unfortunately is one of
the victims of the new era of employment broking but is still working as
a sub agency in Whyalla, has offered to broker the scheme at no cost if
need be, because there are practical complications, and the State Government
has offered WorkCover and, if it applies, payroll relief, so that the onerous
aspects of employers taking on these young people will be minimised. I
feel that this is the dawn of an idea which can take root not only in rural
South Australia but also in the cities whereby four times as many young
people will have the advantage of real work opportunity to build up their
self respect, experience, and training. It will give them the references
which will put them in much better stead to moveó
The Hon. Diana Laidlaw interjecting:
The Hon. IAN GILFILLAN: It is real work, and that is guaranteed
by the scheme and the employers.
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