The Daily Telegraph reported on May 17 that nearly 320,000 Australians have been unemployed for more than two years, despite experiencing the largest employment wave in Australia's history.
Unemployment data for March 2024 shows that there are more Australians who have been unemployed for 2 to 10 years than the entire population of Wollongong. This is despite the fact that 820,000 new jobs have been created in Australia since the last federal election.
Post-pandemic, there has been a severe labor shortage, prompting the government to open the immigration floodgates to fill the vacancies. At the same time, a recruiter told The Telegraph that some people would apply for jobs for which they were clearly not qualified in order to meet the requirements for a jobseeker.
(Image source: The Telegraph)
Bar operator Craig Laundy says his industry is desperately short of workers, and the restaurant industry is an ideal starting point for the long-term unemployed because they have the opportunity to learn "on the job".
"Some long-term unemployed people just lack the confidence to go out and try their skills and don't believe in themselves." "I prefer to hire inexperienced people so that I don't have to correct their bad habits. If the government is willing to work with the F&B industry, I'm sure we'll be happy to do so. ”
"When unemployment falls so low, it's hard to imagine that those currently receiving unemployment benefits will do whatever it takes to get out of this state. It's not a taunt, I think it's a matter of confidence. ”
Han Sen (Credit: The Daily Telegraph)
Pauline Hanson, the leader of the One National Party, has called for a comprehensive reform of the welfare system to prevent people from losing their jobs for a long time. She also called on pensioners to increase their working hours if they wished, without affecting their benefits.
"I'm not talking about cutting off their welfare...... [But] we need to push for a two- to five-year frame where you can receive benefits, but the rest of the time you have to work." "We have to make sure we have workers." ”
Recruiter Graham Wynn also supports a complete overhaul of the Jobseeker system. "We still get resumes from (unqualified) people, and I was told this morning 'I'm sorry, I have to send this resume to get my Centrelink'."
"She doesn't have the qualifications she needs for the job. Employment services are not responsible for ensuring that they are doing the right thing. ”
Wynn said employers have also become more selective when it comes to hiring. "People with limited skills and experience are really hard to find a job, they don't have a chance at all. Employers only want people who meet their requirements perfectly. ”
The latest employment data shows that the unemployment rate is 4.1%.
Christopher Panagis(图片来源:《每日电讯报》)
*Recovering from illness and returning to work*
Truck driver Christopher Panagis was hospitalized with an infection in December, and his medical condition forced him to continue receiving a Jobseeker while he was recuperating in an emergency shelter.
"I'm looking for a place to live right now. So as soon as I find a place to live, I can get a job again. ”
For those who are not in a hurry to get out of Jobseeker, Panagis stated that "they must have saved money somewhere". "I don't have anything, no deposits. So I can only live on this. ”
*Work is essential for mental health*
Villawood resident Nicole Hailes lost her job in 2009 after eight years of childcare work due to a nervous breakdown caused by childhood trauma. It wasn't until 2017 that Hailes was able to return to working as a temporary worker in the school cafeteria, and in January of this year he found a permanent job in the field of disability services, while still studying.
"I don't want to live like this. I'm 40 years old and I'm back on track in a way. I said to them (Centrelink), 'Do you think this is the life I want?' I don't want to rely on someone to give me money'. "[Getting a job] gave me a goal, a goal to get out of bed every day. It gives me responsibility. ”
"Receiving that letter telling me I no longer meet the Jobseeker requirements made me feel like oh my God, I finally did it. This has always been my long-term goal. ”
Nicole Hailes (Credit: The Telegraph)
Hailes says that by starting as a temporary worker, she regained the confidence she needed to get back into the workforce. "It's my mental health that breaks me down, and you're going to become numb, and you don't care because you don't want to live anymore."
"I found temporary work through a project, which helped me build my self-confidence." Clinical psychologist Adam Guastella says that "employment has been repeatedly shown to be absolutely essential for long-term improvements in mental health and well-being".
"Employment has a huge impact, and it gives people confidence in their day-to-day achievements."
"It gives people structure, gives you a place to go, you can interact with people."
"When people lose their jobs, their self-confidence and mental health suffer, and can make it difficult for people to return to the workforce."