Newsroom
Articles
Kate is passionate about contributing to public debate on a wide range of important issues. Here are some of the issues she has touched on in the past.
- Should successful athletes have to pay back the AIS 10 Jun 2009
- Let's give youth voice now for a better future 12 Oct 2008
- Organ donation it's the greatest gift of all 21 Sep 2008
- Is safe sex message falling on deaf ears 31 Aug 2008
- Grassroots funding is key to Olympic glorys 10 Aug 2008
- Easy to overlook big issue of homelessness 20 Jul 2008
- Trailblazer Natasha leaves lasting legacy 29 Jun 2008
- Heavy hitters boost our World Cup hopes 01 Jun 2008
- Youth Forum Discussion Paper 17 May 2008
- We can't take sport for granted 11 May 2008
- Women truly can do anything be anything 20 Apr 2008
- Let the Games begin with all our athletes 30 Mar 2008
- Proud past but future a challenge for women 09 Mar 2008
- Young people will be heard at highest level 17 Feb 2008
- Our nation has changed dramatically in three weeks 16 Dec 2007
- Mobile Phone Towers 23 Sep 2007
- Bradken Foundry 01 Jul 2007
- Full Fees 03 Jun 2007
- Eating Disorders 17 Dec 2006
- Iraq 27 Jul 2006
- Electoral Laws 26 Jun 2006
- Dental 08 Jan 2006
- Make Poverty History 18 Sep 2005
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Media Releases
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 200823 Mar 2012 - Wage Connect Program Assisting Homeless Job Seekers
THE HON KATE ELLIS MP
Minister for Employment Participation
THE HON BRENDAN O'CONNOR MP
Minister for Housing and Homelessness
MEDIA RELEASE
23 March 2012
Wage Connect program assisting homeless job seekers
The new $95 million Wage Connect initiative is making a real difference to unemployed and homeless Australians.
Minister for Employment Participation Kate Ellis and Minister for Housing and Homelessness Brendan O'Connor have welcomed early figures that show the Australian Government's Wage Connect initiative has helped change the lives of some 279 homeless Australians.
"In just 10 weeks Wage Connect has helped nearly 2,500 people into paying jobs, with 279 of these people identifying themselves as homeless," Ms Ellis said.
"Wage Connect is helping unemployed Australians who face multiple barriers to finding work, to find and keep a job. People dealing with accommodation issues represent around 10 per cent of the Wage Connect placements.
"Securing a job and the resulting pay packet, social connectedness and skill development that comes with that can be a turning point for many Australians experiencing or facing homeless."
The Wage Connect initiative provides a wage subsidy to eligible businesses which employ people who have been receiving income support for two years and have had no or minimal work experience in that time.
Job seekers gain important skills, while the subsidy of around $5700 helps offset employers' costs of training and wages for the first six months people are employed.
Mr O'Connor said that homelessness was a significant barrier to employment for too many Australians and the Government was committed to addressing the complex issue.
"This Labor Government believes all Australians deserve a safe and secure home, and we understand how hard it is to find and hold down a job without one," Mr O'Connor said.
"We have made reducing homelessness a national priority.
"Since 2008, we have invested $5 billion in additional funding in homelessness as part of our commitment to an ambitious, long-term plan to halve the rate of homelessness and offer supported accommodation to all those who seek it by 2020."
The Government has also funded $538 million toward the $1.1 billion National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness. Through this NPAH, more than 180 new or expanded services have been rolled out across the country.
Job seekers interested in participating in Wage Connect should speak to their employment services provider.
Interested employers who would like to learn more about Wage Connect can visit www.deewr.gov.au/wageconnectsubsidy or contact a local employment services provider on 13 17 15.