Jobseekers must look for work daily as new rules make work for dole mandatory for all aged 18 to 49

THE Federal Government wants the unemployed to search for 40 jobs a month and perform 25 hours of weekly community work — and some aren’t happy.

Dandenong-based charity Avocare is already running a work-for-the-dole program, with participants helping out in a foodbank, soup kitchen, book barn and historic society. Founder Trish Keilty welcomed the recent announcement in the Federal Government budget about working-for-the-dole and said their model was proof it worked. The Minister for Small Business, Bruce Billson, will be speaking about the program at 1.30pm and the Governments proposal. Left to right John Albanese, Long Nguyen and Avocare Founder Trish Keilty Picture: Richard Serong

THE Federal Government says the unemployed should be out there looking for work every day as it prepares to make them search for 40 jobs a month and perform 25 hours of weekly community work.

Details of the government’s new three-year $5.1 billion job placement program, to be launched from July next year, were released today.

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Job service providers will be rewarded for getting people into short-term work for periods of four, 12 and 26 weeks.

Success ... Dandenong-based charity Avocare is already running a work-for-the-dole program.

Most job seekers will be required to look for up to 40 jobs per month and work for the dole will be mandatory for all jobseekers younger than 50.

Jobseekers younger than 30 would have to work 25 hours a week under the expanded program, while those between 30 and 49 will be asked to do 15 hours work a week, and those aged 50-60, 15 hours a week.

Wage subsidies will be expanded for mature age workers, and extended to young job seekers under 30 and the long-term unemployed.

Slammed ... Greens Leader Christine Milne says the new measures will set jobseekers up for failure.

Assistant Employment Minister Luke Hartsuyker says the new measures are the least the taxpayer expected of those on welfare. “It’s not unreasonable to expect jobseekers to be out there looking for work, every working day,” he told ABC radio.

Labor accused the government of tearing apart the principles of the mutual obligation system.

The new arrangements will mean jobseekers under 30 will receive no welfare for six months but still be required to door-knock for jobs.

Unfair ... Shadow Minister for Employment Brendan O’Connor with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

“They will not receive a cent, even if they look for work each day, each week, for six months,” opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor told ABC radio.

“Yet now they’re having to keep their side of the bargain.”

Mr O’Connor supported the idea of removing red tape for job service providers, but only if it was done properly in consultation with industry.

Greens leader Christine Milne said the tough new dole requirements would set jobseekers up to fail,

“We should stop demonising people who don’t have a job, and suggesting that every unemployed person doesn’t want to work,” she told reporters in Hobart.