Jenny Long, Sydney
The Council of Social Service of New South Wales (NCOSS) has condemned the decision of the NSW Labor government to close two important employment and training programs that assist skilled migrants and mature workers. A demonstration at parliament house on June 3 will present petitions containing several thousand signatures, in an effort to prevent the implementation of the cuts in the June state budget.
The decision to end the Skilled Migrant Strategy (SMS) and the Mature Workers Program (MWP), announced in the April 6 mini-budget was nothing but a "cynical exercise in cost shifting to Canberra", NCOSS head Gary Moore told Green Left Weekly.
Both programs are highly successful employment and training programs that have operated for well over a decade, assisting skilled migrants to enter the work force and older workers to remain in the work force. The programs together account for a mere $5.5m annually.
Education minister Andrew Refshauge made the announcement in April, claiming that employment and migration were federal government responsibilities. According to Moore, however, the recent federal budget offered "no assistance to pick up the 80-plus MWP and SMS projects, which leaves 140 people facing redundancy and 18,000 clients with no comparable service".
In the last 12 months the SMS assisted 5000 skilled migrants through 20-25 projects, including helping them to gain employment and work experience, and to have their overseas qualifications recognised and accredited in Australia. Other projects encouraged employers to see the benefits of a culturally diverse work force.
Similarly, the MWP assisted about 12,000 unemployed people over the age of 40 annually to remain in or re-enter the work force.
Moore pointed out that other state Labor governments have recently announced new programs and initiatives along the lines of those being axed in NSW. "Both Victoria and South Australia have recently announced new spending programs and other initiatives designed to harness skilled migrants for jobs in demand. And Queensland and Victoria have local employment initiatives targeting urban and rural communities that are severely disadvantaged and need massive renewal."
The June 3 rally has been endorsed by the NSW Labour Council, and is being promoted by various unions, including the Public Service Association, which covers the education department workers who will lose their jobs. A copy of the petition can be found at <http://go.to/ppsa>.
From Green Left Weekly, June 2, 2004.
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