Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Workplace Relations
Public Hearings in Brisbane, October 27 & 28
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Workplace Relations will be holding its next public hearings for its
inquiry into issues specific to mature-age jobseekers, in
Brisbane
over two days, starting at
8:30am on Wednesday 27 October in Commonwealth
Government Centre, Level 36 Waterfront Plaza, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane.
The program is attached.
The Chair of the Committee, Dr Brendan Nelson, said: "The Committee
is looking forward to hearing from Dr Steinberg, Director of the Healthy
Ageing Unit, Queensland University as she has researched extensively
in the area and is an adviser to the Queensland Jobs Policy Council.
"Many mature-age jobseekers have told the committee that they believe
that employer attitudes made it harder for them to be re-employed. Dr
Steinberg will be able to provide the inquiry with research evidence
on employer attitudes and practices.
"The Committee will also be hearing from the Queensland Government
which has initiated and funded a number of projects to address the issues
of mature-age employment and unemployment. The Committee is keen to
discuss these projects, especially those which may identify 'best practice'
examples.
We are also delighted that one of our witnesses is Queensland Rail,
which has actively retained older workers and then expanded its workforce
to work on the Great South Pacific Express. This is an excellent example
of an Australian pro-active approach to mature-age employment.
"The Grey Army is another pro-active approach. This was started by
Brandon Charlesworth as a self-help concern for mature-age unemployed.
By fast-tracking training, the Grey Army is able to help people over
45 become tradespeople able to do repairs and maintenance work for householders.
Dr Nelson added: "We are also hearing from a number of individuals
and from Job Network providers and the Area Consultative Committees.
"Many mature-age jobseekers say they are disadvantaged by the system,
especially when they find casual or part-time work. In declaring earnings
from a job, they lose part of their benefit payments. The combination
of reduction in benefit and income tax on earnings is equivalent to
an extremely high effective tax rate. Some witnesses have described
it as 'being taxed at 83%'.
"The Committee aims to identify why some mature age people have difficulties
in regaining employment after they lose their jobs and to find practical
solutions to meet the needs of this age group."
The Committee has received evidence from a number of witnesses at earlier
public hearings in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide. Most
submissions are at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/eewr/OWK/index.htm
or copies can be obtained from the secretariat. Public hearing transcripts
are also available from this site.
Terms of reference
Inquire into the social, economic and industrial issues specific to workers
over 45 years of age seeking employment, or establishing a business, following
unemployment.
Program
Wednesday 27 October 1999
- 8:30am Healthy Ageing Unit, University of Queensland
- Dr Margaret Steinberg, Director
- Ms Linda Walley, Senior research Officer
9:30am Employment Strategies Council (Brisbane North) Inc.
- Mr Alan Millard, Chair
- Ms Sandy Mikami, Executive Officer
- Mr Joe Cazey, Career Employment Australia
- Ms Kate Ruttiman, Queensland Council of Unions
- Mr Paul Sawtell, Integrated Skills Consulting Pty Ltd
10:15am DOME Job Search Association
- Ms June Fitzgerald, President
- Mr William McConnell, Project Co-ordinator
11:00am EastCoast Training and Employment
11:30am Mr Bruce Dawson
12:00noon Mr John Cameron
12:30pm LUNCH
1:30pm Queensland Rail
- Mr David Hempel, Principal Advisor, Employee Relations
2:15pm National Seniors Association (NSA)
- Mr David Deans, Chief Executive
3:00pm Brisbane South Area Consultative Committee
- Ms Margaret Blade, Executive Officer
- Ms June Richards, Projects Officer
- Ms Lyn Ketter, Branch Manager of Leonie Green & Associates
3:45pm Ms Julia Holland
4:15pm Close
Thursday 28 October 1999
- 9:00am Ms Dorothy Foster
- 9:30am Association of Independent Retirees Inc
- Ms Maureen Kingston, National President
- Mr Bruce Duncan, Qld Vice-President
- Mr Ron Paddison, Sub-Committee member
10:15am Mr Bryson Dyke (Toowoomba)
10:45am Grey Army
- Mr Brandon Charlesworth, Founder/Director
11:30am The Department of Employment, Training and Industrial
Relations
- Mr Bernie Carlon, General Manager, Employment
- Ms Judith Bertram, General Manager, Policy & Research
- Mr Michael Wills, Director , Office of Ageing
- Mrs Georgie Whitton, Senior Research & Policy Officer, Workforce
Strategy Unit, Employment Taskforce
- Mr Justin Hartley, Research Officer
12:30pm Close
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