EMBARGO: _ 12.3Opm ALST
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA FRIDAY, 14 JANUARY 1983
THE WAGE PAUSE PROGRAM
The Government has decided on the allocation of the $ 300
million it expects to save under the Wage Pause Program.
In addition to the $ 100 million for welfare housing
announced in December, $ 100 million will be provided for
assistance to the young unemployed and $ 100 million to
assist older unemployed and others disadvantaged in the
labour market.
The Wage Pause Program is framed in such a way as to
provide maximum flexibility for each State and Territory
to take account of its own problems and programs. It is
intended that State and Territory initiatives for
employment-generation and to assist youth would be
considered for support under the umbrella of the Wage
Pause Program.
The youth element of the Program is intended to provide
assistance to unemployed young people by offering them an
opportunity to work on worthwhile community projects
rather than being unemployed.
The construction of capital works and other employment
generating projects, funded from the remaining $ loom will
assist the older unemployed, and others disavantaged in
the labour market. This group will also be helped from
the $ loom welfare housing package to a greater extent than
will the young.
Projects funded under the Wage Pause Program, through the
States' allocations, would be run by organisations such as
local councils, State authorities and voluntary
organisations. Typical projects could include:
National Parks and Wildlife activities;
Conservation and environmental projects;
National Heritage;
Fo rest ry;
Prevention of soil erosion;
Local improvement projects.
Projects should provide additional work and be of
lasting value to the community.
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In writing to the Premiers and Chief Minister today, I
have suggested that there be a meeting in Canberra next
week of Federal and State Ministers to consider the
Commonwealth's proposals. The Ministers would
constitute a Committee to oversee the Wage Pause
Program, under the Chairmanship of the Minister for
Employment and Industrial Relations.
Funds will be allocated between the States and the
Territories on the basis of the recently released
population statistics. on that basis, the $ 1O0m for
each of the two new elements of the Program would be
allocated as follows:
N. S. W. 34.96
Vic. 26.33
Old 15.95
S. A. 8.77
W. A. 8.79
Tas. 2.83
N. T. 0.84
A. C. T. 1.52
The allocations recently announced for the welfare
housing element will remain unchanged.
The text of my letter to the Premiers is attached.
My colleagues and I are anxious that the community
receive benefits from the wage pause as soon as
possible. Decisions will be finalised as soon as
Commonwealth and State Ministers meet and money will be
made availlable immediately after that.
our wage pause savings can work for us. They will
provide new work. Jobs which may otherwise have been
lost may be saved.
Savings made by the States and the Territories and in
the private sector from the wage pause will have similar
even greater -benefits.
The community's widespread support for the pause has
been most welcome. It should not be long before the
benefits are apparent.
Let us all support the pause for the sake of those who
are out of work. o00000000o---
WAGES PAUSE PROGRAM ELEMENT FOR THE OLDER UNEMPLOYED
AND DISADVANTAGED
Funds provided by the Commonwealth are to be allocated
to State and local government activities under the
following guidelines:
projects are to be worthwhile, meeting community
needs and offering long-term benefits;
projects are to have have high labour content and
high Australian content;
projects are to be commenced as soon as
practicable, noting the Commonwealth's intention
that assistance will terminate at end 1983;
preference is to be given to projects in areas of
high: unemployment;
consideration is to be given to projects which
create employment opportunities for unemployed
women; employment on projects is to be additional to the
level of employment in assisted organisations
preceding introduction of the Wages Pause Program
with projects not otherwise being assisted under
existing Commonwealth or State programs;
workers are to be recruited wherever possible
through the CES, which would give priority to the
placement of the long-term unemployed and other
disadvantaged groups;
employment is to be for a minimum of four months,
and under award conditions for the occupations
involved;
projects are to have the maximum involvement of
apprentices, with-out-of-trade apprentices to be
taken on wherever possible;
the Commonwealth contribution to projects is to be
clearly indicated at the time of announcement and
in subsequent project identification.
WAGE PAUSE PROGRAM YOUTH ELEMENT
PROPOSED GUIDELINES
Objective The objective of the scheme is to provide
assistance to unemployed young people by offering
them an opportunity to work on worthwhile community
projects rather than being unemployed.
Types of Projects
The projects funded through the States' allocations
would be managed by organisations such as local
councils, State authorities and voluntary
organisations. Projects should provide additional
work and be of lasting value to the community.
Typical projects would include:
National Parks and Wildlife activies;
Conservation and environmental projects;
National Heritage;
Forestry; Prevention of soil erosion;
Local improvement projects.
Existing or projected State youth employment
programs could be included under the umbrella of
this element.
Eligibility The scheme would be open to young people under the
age of around 25 years. Priority would be given to
placing the longer term unemployed into the scheme
through the direct involvement of the Commonwealth
Employment Service as the referral agency. Because
of the nature of likely projects, it will also be
necessary to place more qualified people in
supervisory positions. These supervisors need not
be unemployed prior to entering the scheme.
Remuneration Participants would receive a weekly remuneration
set at an appropriate rate above the unemployment
benefit rate for, single people.
Duration of Participation
Participants would be expected to enter the scheme
on a full-time basis and for a period of at least
three months, though desirably participation would
be longer. The scheme therefore obliges young
2.
people to enter with a sense of commitment to the
project on which they are going to be working.
Administration of the Scheme
Funds would be allocated to States according to
population. It would be expected that State
Governments would call for proposals from their
departments and authorities, local government and
voluntary and community organisations and they
would be responsible for approving projects and
monitoring schemes. They will be given maximum
flexibility to model the schemes in the light of
particular State needs.
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