Labor, Greens oppose youth intern program

A government-dominated Senate committee has recommended the youth internship program bill pass but Labor and the Greens are opposed.

Labor won't support the Turnbull government's controversial youth internship program unless concerns with the legislation are addressed.

The PaTH program, announced in the 2016 budget, seeks to incentivise jobseekers under 25 to do internships by paying them $200 a fortnight on top of income support payments.

A government-dominated Senate committee on Monday has recommended the bill be passed.

Its report, tabled in parliament, acknowledges concerns about the legislation but recommends the Department of Employment publish clear guidance on the program so jobseekers and employers have clarity about their rights and responsibilities.

In a separate dissenting report, Labor says the legislation does not assure the community the program will work well.

It recommends the government provide safeguards protecting participants from exploitation and guaranteeing employers won't churn through participants, threatening the jobs and wages of existing employees.

A Greens dissenting report also recommends the bill not be passed in its current form.


Share
1 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Labor, Greens oppose youth intern program | SBS News