J4STALIA
PRIME MINISTER
iities for STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER THE HON P. J. KEATING, MP
issue for
to HOWARD TO CUT 22,000 GREEN JOBS
it of
lisitions, John Howard proposed today to set up a new program to enable young people to
work on environmental projects. He claims the program would provide placements
support it for up to 2,000 people.
. iberUnfortunately for Mr Howard, this proposal mimics a far more comprehensive set of
! me initiatives already in place through Working Nation namely:
9,000 Landcare and Environment Action Plan ( LEAP) places
onatio 5,000 Jobskills places
of policy. 10,000 Regional Environment Employment ( REEP) and New Work
Opportunities places.
. nt wil These programs are funded through the $ 9 billion, four-year Workng Nation
initiative an initiative that the Coalition is committed to cuttina.
Since the Coalition is cutting Working Nation, in which there are 24,000 environment
~ Arroll jobs, the net effect of Mr Howard's plan would -appear to be a decrease in green
4988 employment of 22,000.
Mr Howard has been reported as saying that the source of the money for this
proposal will be announced later in the campaign. This can only mean through cuts
to LEAP and other successful Government job programs either that, or he plans to
return to the Telstra magic pudding.
Through LEAP a community-based program the Commonwealth vill be spending
$ 106 million in 1995-96 to help young unemployed people to gain practical
experience in Landcare, environment conservation and cultural heritage.
Importantly, LEAP is open to young unemployed people aged 15 to 20 years. Mr
Howard's proposal ignores 15 to 16 year olds. Early school leavers in this age
group are among the most disadvantaged in our community.
In addition, by restricting his proposal to 17 to 20 year olds, he is making a mockery
of his promise to remove " rigid age requirements" from labour market programs.
2
On Monday this week the Prime Minister announced a new Green Volunteers
initiative as part of Young Australia. This initiative will enable at least 2 000 young
-ust ali-pe. year to Participate in environmental projects on a voluntary basis.
They can do so on a full-time basis on projects up to a month's duration or part time
on projects that require 1 to 3 days work per week over four weeks. MPS 8/ 96
In Young Australia we also announced:
making LEAP available to small employers and farm families by allowing single Australian
LEAP placements ( in addition to the existing project-based placements) involved v
linking LEAP programs with traineeships to turn green jobs into permanent ' A new b,
employment, that the L
available
Mr Howard's second foray into the environment is no more credible than his first. The introc
In truth, after a lifetime of never going near it, Mr Howard is not at home with the maternity
environment. And it shows. His new plan is a miniature version of government ( Matemit4
programs which are already operating: programs which are already employing many More thar
thousands of Australians in the essential business of caring for our environment families h,
programs which the Coalition is determined to cut. The payrr,
MELBOURNE It will be p
1 FEBRUARY 1996 adopted t
the baby'E
Families'
Allowanc, ' The inco
to $ 63,76
higher tot
Mr Baldw
Maternity Parentinc Consume Mr Baldw
claim forr
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4478