Young Queenslanders and school leavers continue to struggle to find work under the Newman Government’s policies.
Shadow Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said youth unemployment in the Cairns area was now at 20%, still well up from 11% in March 2012.
Mr Pitt said the long-term trend of high youth unemployment under the LNP meant an overall increase of 9 points since the Newman Government came in to power.
“We’re in a situation where people want jobs and Campbell Newman’s government make it harder for people to get jobs,” Mr Pitt said.
“Campbell Newman’s target of seeing overall unemployment at 4% is in tatters and the news is worse for our young people.
“As electricity prices spiral under Campbell Newman’s policies and the LNP continues to target public assets for privatisation, we can only expect costs to keep going up and up.
“The best defence against rising costs of living is to have a job but under the Newman Government, finding work keeps getting harder and harder.”
Mr Pitt said young Queenslanders were finding it increasingly difficult to access jobs training.
“Parents who want confidence that their children will find work have every right to be concerned about the Newman Government’s approach to training,” he said.
“It’s unbelievable in an area where youth unemployment is 20% that the Newman Government is intent on making it harder for young people to get the training they need so they can get a job.
“Under this Government, course fees continue to rise, teacher numbers are being slashed and TAFE campuses need to pay big dollars to lease back their own buildings so they can deliver the reduced number of courses that they are still allowed to offer.
“We’ve heard nothing from LNP MPs in this area about this issue.
“It’s time for the Newman Government to stop cutting resources and start creating opportunities for young people.”
Queensland Labor has already committed to several jobs policies including:
• Reinstating Skilling Queenslanders for Work which generated $8 in local economies for every $1 invested
• Introducing Advance Queensland to target the jobs of the future
• An additional payroll tax rebate of 25% for apprentices
• Establishing Jobs Queensland to provide the Government with timely advice on skills demand
• Creating Building Queensland to ensure big infrastructure projects undergo appropriate cost-benefit analysis
More policies that have already been announced can be found at AnnastaciaPalaszczukMP.com.au and further polices will be released in the lead up to the election due in early 2015.
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