Employment Services
Job Placement, Employment and Training Programme
The Job Placement, Employment and Training (JPET) Programme has a positive impact on young people in regional and rural Australia. The JPET programme assists young people aged 15–21 years who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, ex offenders, refugees or wards of the state, to overcome a range of personal barriers which prevent them from participating effectively in employment, education or training and having a sustainable future.
Through actively establishing and developing strong partnerships and linkages with local agencies, schools, TAFEs and business organisations, JPET providers contribute towards building community capacity. This is particularly important in rural and regional areas to best utilise community resources for the benefit of young Australians. Funding of $20.1 million has been provided for this programme in 2004–05.
Improved Employment Services
Regional Australia is now benefiting from the improvements to Job Network announced in the 2002–03 Budget. For example, between 1 July 2003 and 31 March 2004, Job Network members and Job Placement Organisations recorded a total of 370,000 job placements, with over 168,000 of these for job seekers in regional Australia. Following the transitional or ‘establishment’ phase of the new contract, monthly job placement levels are the highest in the history of Job Network and in regional Australia have increased by up to 38 per cent compared to last year.
Job Network is a national network of private and community organisations assisting unemployed, particularly long–term unemployed, people to find jobs. On 1 July 2003, the Australian Government’s third employment services contract (2003–06), the Active Participation Model was introduced and provides a number of improvements to services available to job seekers, including those living in regional Australia. Job Network has a strong presence in regional Australia with over half of its sites located outside major metropolitan centres. Over the three–year contract period it is expected that more than $1 billion will be available through the suite of Job Network activities for non–metropolitan areas.
The Active Participation Model provides the opportunity for Service Providers in rural and remote sites to tailor their service delivery arrangements more flexibly to suit local circumstances in recognition that labour markets and job seekers in rural and remote areas have their own particular characteristics.
From 1 July 2003, Fee for Service arrangements have been contracted in six Employment Service Areas to deliver a tailored employment service that reflects the unique needs of remote job seekers in these areas. The enhanced service is being delivered in the Top End in the Northern Territory, West Kimberley, East Kimberley, Karratha and East Pilbara in Western Australia, and Ceduna in South Australia. The Active Participation Model is the basis of the employment services being purchased in each of these Employment Service Areas, additional services have been tailored to suit local circumstances.
The Government also provides its Harvest Labour Services for rural industries with an improved coordination and marketing of these services.
The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) assists eligible unemployed people to establish and run viable new small businesses. NEIS services are provided across the whole of Australia, and NEIS providers in some regions will continue to be paid a higher fee in recognition of the higher cost of delivering services in these locations and the additional barriers faced by people in these areas.
Work for the Dole provides work experience opportunities for unemployed people in their local communities. In 2004-05 there will be 64,000 Work for the Dole places available. Work for the Dole provides job seekers in regional areas with an opportunity to develop work skills while supporting their local communities through participating in work experience activities, which are of benefit to those communities.
In December 2002, the Prime Minister announced an extension to the Work for the Dole Programme specifically aimed at assisting communities seriously affected by drought. Drought Force activities afford suitably skilled unemployed people from the local area the opportunity to volunteer to lend a hand on drought–affected properties or to work on community projects in drought affected communities. These activities encourage people to remain in their local community and support the local economy to deal with the impact of drought. Through more than 100 projects in regional areas across Australia, over 500 job seekers have participated in Drought Force activities.
Early access to Job Search Training
As announced in the 2003–04 Budget, from July 2004, young job seekers aged 16-24 years will receive earlier access to Intensive Support job search training. Funding of $12.5 million over four years has been allocated to this programme commencing 2004—05. Intensive Support job search training services develop the job search skills of young job seekers earlier, helping to increase the number of people finding work within the first few months of unemployment.
Establishment of an Employment Innovation Fund
The Employment Innovation Fund was announced in the 2003–04 Budget. It forms a part of Job Network and funds small projects which support initiatives that tackle employment or labour market related problems. The main objectives of the fund are to trial ideas that promote innovative, community based action on employment; address specific employment and labour market problems; and alleviate the social consequences of unemployment. Introduced in July 2003, the fund provides up to $100,000 per project out of a total funding pool of $4 million over four years to 2006–07. The fund has been used for a diverse range of projects that are proposed by communities to address local community or specific demographic labour related issues. An example of this is the Yachad East Kimberley Regional Accelerated Learning for Workplace Readiness Project. This project aims to strengthen school to work transition by improving access to educational resources for the whole community, especially Indigenous students.
Transition to Work
Transition to Work offers practical help, such as training and funding, to help parents, carers and mature age people 50 years and over who are starting work for the first time or are returning to work after an absence of two years or more. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is piloting arrangements that provide better linkages between Transition to Work (TTW) and Job Network. The pilots are funded from current Department of Employment and Workplace Relations resources, and will allow TTW participants who have completed TTW planned activities without getting a job to take the next step and actively look for work under the guidance of a Job Network member.
TTW providers will seek out volunteer parents and carers to participate in TTW and engage early with Job Network where appropriate. TTW providers will organise a Vocational Profile interview for TTW participants as soon as it is appropriate. They will then provide support to job seekers during the phase from TTW participation to Job Network assistance. When job seekers exit TTW, they will be encouraged to continue looking for work and participating in Job Network.
$57.2 million in 2004-05 for Personal Support Programme best practice initiative
The Department of Family and Community Services and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations have implemented a best practice initiative to increase the participation of Personal Support Programme (PSP) participants who have had their non–vocational barriers to employment addressed, in Intensive Support customised assistance (ISca).
A key aspect of the initiative is to improve the understanding of parallel servicing arrangements for referrals from PSP to Job Network by PSP providers and JNMs, improving PSP providers understanding of the services provided under the Active Participation Model and providing information to participants who have been referred from PSP to ISca.
Best practice pilot sites have been identified in 18 Employment Service Areas throughout New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania (10 rural locations). The pilots are funded from current Department of Employment and Workplace Relations resources.
Increasing participation rates for mature age workers
The Government will provide funding of $12.1 million over four years, commencing in 2004–05 to facilitate and encourage workforce participation by the mature aged.
- Jobwise Outreach is an integrated strategy that aims to target information and assistance more effectively to encourage greater labour force participation by older Australians. Funding is provided for Labour Market Update Seminars for employment service providers and intermediaries and for Jobwise Mature Age Workshops and Jobwise Self Help Groups for mature age job seekers and workers. These will identify local job opportunities, positive case studies, effective job search strategies, and build strong local support networks.
- The Mature Age Industry Strategy will use research information to target specific industries where strong growth opportunities are available and will place mature age workers into these jobs. Around four projects per year will be developed in target industries demonstrating the greatest capacity to support the employment of mature age workers.
- The Mature Age Workplace Strategy is an action strategy for employers to slow early retirement rates of workers and promote the benefits of retaining and recruiting older workers in the face of impending labour supply constraints. Funding is provided for the development of the new Jobwise Workplace portal and the establishment of Business Learning Networks and Mature Age Workplace Guidelines to promote best practice in meeting the needs of, and benefiting from, mature age workers in the workplace.
Indigenous Partnerships
Longitudinal study of Indigenous Children
Funding of $8.6 million was provided in the 2003–04 Budget over four years for a longitudinal study of Indigenous children. The study will focus on the linkages between early childhood experiences and later life outcomes for Indigenous children. It will be the first national representative longitudinal study of Indigenous children living in remote, rural, regional and urban centres. Around one quarter of Indigenous children participating in the study will be selected from remote areas.
Community consultations are being held across Australia with Indigenous people, communities and organisations to ensure that the design of the study reflects their interests and is done in a way that benefits Indigenous children and their families.
Indigenous Capital Assistance Scheme
The Indigenous Capital Assistance Scheme (ICAS) is funded as part of the Indigenous Employment Policy with a budget of $10.5 million over four years from 2003–04. The primary objective of ICAS is to increase the level of employment for Indigenous Australians by increasing access for Indigenous businesses to appropriate commercial finance and culturally appropriate professional services and mentoring support.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is currently working in partnership with Westpac Banking Corporation to deliver ICAS in the regions. Initially, the programme will be offered in Alice Springs, Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Shepparton and their surrounding areas with a national roll–out of the programme in June 2004.
Features of ICAS include financial support for loans ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. A key feature will be the provision of interest rate subsidies for the first three years to ease debt servicing requirements during the business start up phase. Indigenous businesses seeking loans will also be supported by a subsidy for accredited professional services (for example, accountants, lawyers, tax advisers or training from a registered training organisation), as well as mentoring support.
Indigenous Youth Employment Consultants
The Government will provide $13.1 million through the Indigenous Employment Programme over four years commencing in 2004–05, to fund up to 30 Indigenous Youth Employment Consultants to improve education and employment outcomes for young Indigenous people. The consultants will be linked to Job Network providers and will work with young Indigenous people, their families, communities, local schools, vocational education and training providers, local businesses and training bodies to encourage better transition from school to work by providing linkages with work opportunities and further education and training.
The measure provides further support for the growing population of young Indigenous people who are in the ‘transition from school to work’ stage. It will also provide a supporting link to existing Australian Government programmes that focus on school retention and education.
$0.3 million for 2004—05 for the Mining Industry/Indigenous Communities Regional Partnership Programme
The Mining industry/Indigenous Communities Regional Partnership Programme or the ‘Working in Partnership Programme’ as it is commonly known, aims to support and encourage the cultural change that is taking place in relations between Indigenous communities and the mining and exploration industry. A key aim is to promote long term partnerships between Indigenous communities and the mining industry.
Australia is one of the world’s leading mining nations, and the mining industry is an important contributor to regional communities and the national economy. Much of our mining activity takes place in remote parts of the country, often close to Indigenous communities and on Indigenous land. Frequently the mining industry is one of the few industries providing employment and business opportunities in these areas. This programme aims to promote cases of good working in partnership practice through publishing cases studies via its website. It also encourages stakeholder liaison via regional workshops, thus promoting opportunities for the mining industry and indigenous communities to establish enduring and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Indigenous Whole of Government Trials
In April 2002, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to trial a whole-of-government approach in up to ten Indigenous communities or regions. The aim of the trials is to improve the way governments interact with each other and communities, to deliver more effective responses to the needs of Indigenous Australians. The lessons learnt from these cooperative approaches are able to be applied more broadly. This approach is flexible in order to reflect the needs of specific communities to build on existing work and improve the compatibility of different State, Territory and Australian Government programmes and services to achieve better outcomes.
There is one trial site in each State and Territory — Wadeye in the Northern Territory, Cape York in Queensland, Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AP) Lands in South Australia, Shepparton in Victoria, East Kimberley in Western Australia, Murdi Paaki in New South Wales, North Eastern Tasmania and the ACT. In four of the trial sites — Wadeye, Shepparton, Murdi Paaki and the ACT — Shared Responsibility Agreements between the community and the Australian and State/Territory Governments have been signed setting out jointly agreed priorities, outcomes and benchmarks, working arrangements and each partner’s responsibilities.
The 2003–04 Budget provided $6 million over two years to enable quick and flexible responses to needs that arise in Indigenous communities through their involvement in the COAG trials. These funds were contributed by Australian Government agencies involved in the COAG trials and support innovative, whole - of - government initiatives and activities enabling communities’ participation and engagement in the trials.
Major Infrastructure Programme
The Australian Government is providing approximately $16.2m over three years from 2004–05 for the third stage of the Torres Strait Major Infrastructure Programme (MIP), subject to matching funding from the Queensland Government. The programme has already delivered substantial improvements to the standard of living in the communities in the region with permanent improvements to water supply, sewerage, roads, drainage and other essential services. This funding is allowing the MIP to be extended to more communities in the region generating employment and opportunities for local businesses, community councils and Indigenous people in the region.
Community Development Employment Programme
The Community Development Employment Programme (CDEP) is a national programme which is a regionally focused, targeted and tailored initiative aimed at improving and developing the economic, social and cultural status of Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Australian Government provided $61.5 million over four years in 2003–04 to expand the CDEP by 1,000 places a year. This is aimed specifically at family violence and substance abuse in remote Indigenous communities. The funding covers the costs of allowances for participants, training, supervision, materials and administration. Participants undertake a range of activities including: night patrols to prevent family violence; substance abuse treatment, support, counselling and mentoring; training and support of new police aides and other workers within the legal and justice systems; community health and well–being activities; and pre–school and after–school care and aged care.
The Torres Strait Regional Authority will spend $29.4 million in 2004–05 on CDEP that will offer positions to 1955 participants. Participants in the CDEP voluntarily forego their government income support to work on a wide range of community projects. As well as providing training and employment, this programme will also provide social, economic and cultural benefits to communities in the region.
Family Violence Prevention Legal Services
The expanded Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Programme now funds twenty-six Family Violence Prevention Legal Services around Australia to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children who face family violence (including sexual abuse) or who are at immediate risk of such violence. A wide range of services are provided under the programme including legal assistance, information and referral, crisis counselling and court support. A number of these services are in regional, rural and remote locations. In 2004–05, the Australian Government will allocate $8.1 million to the programme.
Regional Projects to Combat Family Violence
Funding of $1.1 million will be allocated to Regional Councils for local family violence projects in 2004–05. Key initiatives include: alcohol restriction trials; family violence prevention; outreach workers providing support and referral to women escaping violence; safe houses for women and children; youth and children’s services; men’s and women’s counselling and support groups; night patrols; men’s women’s and youth conferences; service evaluation; and strategic planning. The initiative will assist many Indigenous people, families and communities in regional, rural and remote locations.
Indigenous Women’s Programme
The Indigenous Women’s Programme provides funding ($2.4 million in 2004–05) to Regional Councils to promote and support Indigenous women’s heritage, health and economic and social well–being. Key projects and activities include: women’s forums and workshops; networking and referral services; health education programmes; elderly care; life–skill training programmes on nutrition, health and self–esteem; women’s advisory committees; and support and promotion of women’s lore and culture. A number of the projects funded under the programme benefit Indigenous women living in regional, rural and remote locations.
Sporting Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
The Australian Government’s Sport and Recreation Programme promotes the active participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in sport and recreation including through skills development, access to facilities and sports development and support. The programme provides funding to Regional Councils for local sport and recreation activities and financial assistance to individuals, teams, carnivals and other events. Funding is also available for projects carried out in more than one region. The Budget for the programme in 2004–05 is $11.292 million. The Government also supports an outsourcing arrangement with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) to improve sporting and recreational opportunities for Indigenous people. Indigenous people living in regional, rural and remote areas are assisted into sporting and recreational activities through these initiatives.
Provision of Legal Services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
The Australian Government provides funding to a network of twenty–five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) in ninety–six service sites across Australia. The majority of these service sites are located in regional Australia. ATSILS aim to provide access to quality and culturally appropriate legal services to ensure that Indigenous peoples can exercise their legal rights free from discriminatory laws and practices.
In 2004–05, the Australian Government will spend a total of $43.5 million on Indigenous Law and Justice programmes and services.
Programmes aim to minimise the amount of contact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the justice system. Programmes currently underway in regional Australia include night patrols, prisoner support services and youth initiatives.
Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Programme
The Australian Government will make available funding of $37.3 million, over four years, commencing 2004—05 for new innovative joint initiatives to complement State and Territory funding for existing programmes and services. The initiative aims to achieve sustained measures that address family violence and improve individual and community safety for Indigenous people. Types of activities may include safe houses, family centres, coaching parents and their families to help others and training to help perpetrators repair the physical and emotional damage they have caused. The partnerships will enable Indigenous communities to be involved in, and share responsibility for, planning and implementation of local arrangements.
Support for Indigenous Students
The Government will improve its focus on students in remote areas through significant national initiatives and special projects funded under the Indigenous Education Strategic Programme to improve the education outcomes of Indigenous students.
The Australian Government will provide $105.5 million over 2005-08 for targeted in–class tuition assistance for Indigenous students who do not meet Year 3, 5 and 7 literacy and numeracy national benchmarks, weighted to remote participants. Ongoing and enhanced support will be provided for the ‘Scaffolding Literacy’ project, which utilises a structured approach to teaching and has proven to be especially effective in assisting students in remote areas.
Also, $41 million over 2005-08 will be made available for a tuition scheme targeting Year 10, 11 and 12 students, enabling 50 per cent of remote students and 10 per cent of non–remote students to access individual or small group assistance after school; and a $62.5 million programme of support for school–parent partnerships to tackle entrenched problems, at least 50 per cent of which will be targeted at remote schools.
Additional funding for Indigenous Higher Education
The Australian Government will provide $3 million in additional funding in 2004 and 2005 to Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education for the enrichment of Indigenous higher education in the Northern Territory. This special funding is designed to encourage greater cooperation between CDU and Batchelor Institute to achieve Territory–wide benefits for Indigenous tertiary students.
Indigenous Aged Care
The Australian Government funds aged care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under both the Aged Care Act 1997 and the 1994 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Strategy. Under the Strategy, 27 flexible services have been approved, of which 29 are currently operational and will continue into 2004-05. These services provide aged care services specifically to small rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in areas of high need, as well as some urban locations.
Aged care services for indigenous Australians, funded through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Services will receive an additional $10.3 million over four years, including the introduction of a viability supplement payment for rural and remote services.
Regional Leadership and Representation
Industry Leadership — Women and Young people in Rural Industries
The Australian Government is providing $1.7 million over three years from 2001–02 for the Industry Leadership — Women and Young People in Rural Industries measure, which comprises two components — women in rural industries and young people in rural industries.
The Women in Rural Industries Programme has in the past provided operational funding to rural women’s national non–government organisations (NGOs). In 2002–03, the programme was refocussed to build on and strengthen industry partnerships and mainstream rural women into industry decision–making and representative roles.
This encompasses the ‘Industry Partnerships — corporate governance for rural women’ initiative in partnership with 12 Research and Development Corporations and the ‘Industry Partnerships — Building the Future Sharing the Work’ initiative where the national rural women’s NGOs are working with Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and industry to strengthen links to address their capacity to meet current and future challenges to Australian agricultural industries.
The Young People in Rural Industries Programme encompasses a number of initiatives: the Young Rural Leaders Course, Export Market Development Training Course, Mentoring Young Leaders, International Observers, Rural Network Grants, Study Awards and Bursaries for the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. These activities are supported by an interactive networking website — YARN.
The programme enables participants to gain the skills and knowledge to:
- lead in their industry and community;
- represent their colleagues in decision–making forums;
- develop sustainable, competitive and profitable industries and communities; and
- contribute to government policy and programme development.
Indigenous Leadership Scholarships
In 2003–04, the Government provided funding of $100,000 under the National Leadership Initiative, administered by the Office of the Status of Women, to assist Indigenous women to undertake certificate and Diploma level studies at the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre in Canberra.
National Rural Women’s Secretariat
The National Rural Women’s Coalition established the National Rural Women’s Secretariat in 2002, to support input from rural women into Federal Government policy. A key objective is to ensure better social and economic outcomes for women in rural areas.
Coalition members include the Country Women’s Association of Australia, Australian Women in Agriculture, the National Rural Health Alliance and others. In 2004–05 the Government will provide $150,000 to maintain this work.
Sports Leadership Grants for Rural and Regional Women
In 2004–05, the Government will provide funding of approximately $210,000 for a grant programme designed to provide leadership training to women in sport, specifically Indigenous and disabled women and women from rural and remote areas of Australia.
Migration to our Regions
Boost for Regional Settlement
The Government is committed to having regional Australia share the benefits brought by our Migration Programme through achieving a greater dispersal of our migrant and humanitarian intake to regional areas. The Government is committing $13.4 million over four years from 2004–05 to ensure the long–term success of migrants settling in regional Australia. This funding is additional to that already provided for settlement services in regional Australia, such as English language provision in regional locations. The funding will assist the travel and associated costs of humanitarian settlement, identify and provide settlement support needed for dependants of skilled and family migrants and provide increased community grants to strengthen migrant communities in regional Australia.
Regional Migration Initiatives
The Government will provide $29.8 million (including $1.8 million capital funding) over four years from 2004-05 for the implementation of key initiatives to attract people with much needed skills and resources to regional Australia and to smaller capital cities. This will help lower the levels of migration to larger capital cities, in particular Sydney.
As part of this measure a two-stage skilled visa process for certain skilled independent migrants involving two years as a temporary visa holder in regional Australia before application for a permanent visa is allowed will be introduced. A temporary resident State government-sponsored retired investor category will also be introduced to replace the existing Retiree Visa. These initiatives also include higher minimum salary levels for employer sponsored temporary and permanent migrants where they are sponsored by employers in Sydney, and the introduction of a Sydney Skill Shortage list. Both of these are to be determined by the New South Wales Government in consultation with the Australian Government.
Promotional activity will be undertaken to raise the level of awareness of regional migration initiatives, particularly amongst employers in regional Australia.
Over the last eight years, the Australian Government, in consultation with State and Territory Governments, has introduced a number of initiatives designed to assist with the regional dispersal of the migrant intake by enabling State and Territory Governments and regional authorities to: address skill shortages that may exist in their jurisdictions; attract overseas business people to establish new or joint ventures; and encourage a more balanced dispersal of Australia’s skilled migrant intake.
The numbers of migrants approved through these programmes has increased steadily from 1,126 in 1996–97, to 7,941 in 2002–03. In the 2004–05 budget context, the Government has taken a further step forward on these issues by introducing the Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa.
Skilled Independent Regional Visa
The Skilled-Independent Regional (SIR) (Provisional) visa will be introduced on 1 July 2004. The SIR visa has been developed in close collaboration with State and Territory governments to assist regional areas attract, and retain skilled migrants so they are able to fill skill shortages, boost development in regional communities, and counter the population decline in rural areas.
Applicants for the SIR Provisional visa must be sponsored by a State/Territory Government. Applicants must meet the basic criteria for General Skilled Migration and obtain 110 points on the points test.
Successful applicants will be granted a three-year provisional visa. SIR visa holders will be eligible to apply for permanent residence after they have lived in regional Australia, for at least two years and worked for at least one year.
From 1 July 2004, overseas students who successfully complete a generalist undergraduate degree from a university in regional Australia will be able to apply for the Skilled-Independent Regional (SIR) visa without leaving Australia.
Long Stay Temporary Visa
There are a range of temporary visas that allow employers in regional areas to fill temporary gaps in the workforce for stays of up to four years at a time. More flexible arrangements have been introduced that allow doctors, nurses and other skilled health care workers to come to Australia more quickly. This includes streamlined arrangements for doctors as part of the Medicare Plus initiatives.
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme places skilled migrants into regional or low–population growth areas of Australia. It supports employers in rural and regional Australia and some capital cities in nominating people from overseas for permanent entry to Australia when they have not been able to recruit suitably skilled people through the local labour market.
State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme
The State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme (STNI) enables States and Territories to sponsor Skilled–Independent category and Skill Matching Visa applicants, who are willing to settle in States and Territories where their skills are in demand. They can be identified through the Skill Matching Database. State and Territory Governments who choose to take part in the scheme carry out an audit to establish what skills are in short supply and where. Based on this audit, States and Territories aim to select applicants who have a sound chance of gaining employment in that State or Territory soon after their arrival. The South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian Governments are currently using the STNI scheme.
Skill Matching Visa
The Skill Matching Visa (SMV), is designed to link skilled migrants with specific skilled vacancies through State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. It provides opportunities for skilled people who do not meet the current pass mark under the Skilled Independent category to be included on the Skill Matching Database.
Skill Matching Database
Skilled–Independent category applicants and Skill Matching Visa applicants are able to provide their educational, occupational and personal details for inclusion on the Skills Matching Database, which is distributed to all State and Territory Governments and a network of regional development authorities. An abridged version of the database is available on the Internet through the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs’ website. State and Territory Governments and employers can nominate applicants from the Skill Matching Database for the State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme respectively. Numbers registered on the database have increased by over sixty per cent in the last 12 months with over 7,700 registered at the end of March 2004.
General Skilled Migrants
General skilled migration applicants assessed after 1 July 2003 will gain an additional five points if they have recently completed their qualifications by studying and living nearby for a period of at least two years at the campus of an Australian university, TAFE or private education provider in regional Australia or a low population growth metropolitan centre. The objective is to encourage a greater proportion of students to consider studying in and eventually settling in regional Australia.
Family — skilled–designated area sponsored category
The Skilled–Designated Area Sponsored (SDAS) category enables skilled relatives (brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, non–dependent children, working–age parents, first cousins and grandchildren) to be sponsored for migration to designated areas of Australia. Designated areas are identified by individual State and Territory Governments. Currently all parts of Australia except Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Perth, and Brisbane are designated areas.
Business — Regional Established Business in Australia
The Regional Established Business in Australia category, established in 1997, allows people temporarily in Australia on Business (Long Stay) visas to apply for permanent residence if they have successfully established a business venture in a designated area of Australia.
Two stage processing for Business skills applicants
On 1 March 2003, a new Business Skills Visa class was introduced. This visa class is made up of temporary and permanent visa subclasses. Permanent residence is granted once a business is fully established. A key objective of this new visa class is to achieve better dispersal of business migrants to regional areas of Australia through a much greater emphasis on State and Territory Government sponsorship at both stages. Applicants may receive considerable concessions where visa criteria are to be met, if they obtain sponsorship from a State or Territory Government. Immediate permanent residence is only available for high calibre business migrants who have State or Territory Government support.
Transport
AusLink
The 2004-05 Budget sets out the funding for the Government’s new land transport plan, AusLink, which will incorporate the National Highway system, many Roads of National Importance and other freight links into a broader network of transport corridors.
It is an $11.4 billion plan to transform the way Australia funds its roads and railways. It consists of almost $11 billion in land transport funding over the next five years and a $450 million grant in 2003-04 for investment in the interstate rail system.
The Government will release a detailed White Paper on AusLink next month, setting out the details of the AusLink National Network and a series of major new land transport projects that will start to give effect to the Government’s strategic vision. The funding for the new projects is included in the Budget.
The Australian Government will invest almost $11 billion in land transport infrastructure from 2004-05 to 2008-09, which includes:
- $6,807.5 million for the AusLink National Network;
- $1,453.1 million for the Roads to Recovery Programme, which the Government hass extended to 2008-09. The programme helps local councils maintain and upgrade their local roads. From 1 July 2005, it will include a strategic component ($100 million annually) to help councils to work together on constructing local transport projects of strategic regional importance. The Government intends to build on the substantial financial support it has already provided for local roads during the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 under the Roads to Recovery Programme;
- $2,550.3 million in untied local road grants;
- $90 million under the National Black Spot Programme — Australian Government will spend $45 million for each of the next two years targeting crash sites and sections of road with a poor safety history.
In addition, $872 million will be invested by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) in the east coast rail links of the National Network over the next five years. The Australian and New South Wales Governments have agreed that the ARTC will lease the New South Wales interstate and Hunter Valley rail networks for 60 years. The ARTC is an Australian Government business enterprise. The $450 million grant referred to above is in addition to this $872 million investment programme.
The funding package incorporates $810 million over three years, commencing in 2006-07, that will be saved through the Government’s decision to wind up the Fuel Sales Grants Scheme (FSGS), and redirect funding to land transport infrastructure improvements in regional and outer metropolitan areas as announced in January 2004.
The Fuel Taxation Inquiry in 2002 noted that in practice it had been difficult to ensure the Scheme’s benefits were actually passed on to consumers. The Government believes the best way to reduce transport costs in rural, regional and outer-metropolitan areas is to improve travel times by upgrading our roads and railways.
Record spending on Bass Strait Transport Schemes
The Australian Government will spend a record $127.1 million in 2004-05 on rebates for shipping passenger vehicles and freight across Bass Strait in recognition that Tasmanian residents, companies and tourism operators are disadvantaged due to the transport costs associated with Bass Strait.
Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme
The Government expects to spend $43.2 million in 2004-05 on the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme reflecting the continuing success of the scheme.
The scheme provides a rebate of up to $150 each way for ferry passengers travelling to or from Tasmania with passenger vehicles. The rebate varies for other accompanied vehicles: up to $300 for motorhomes and cars with caravans, up to $75 for motorbikes, and $21 for bicycles. The rebate is paid directly to ferry operators and deducted from the total fare paid by passengers.
Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme
The Government expects to spend $83.9 million in 2004-05 on the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (TFES), which provides targeted freight assistance to about 1,350 shippers for products as diverse as newsprint, vegetables, and manufacturing and mining equipment. The scheme is demand driven and uncapped.
In addition, the Government will extend the TFES to cover containerised wheat shipments.
Bulk wheat shipments are currently subsidised under a scheme administered by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio, the Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme.
Accordingly, the level of Government freight assistance will increase from about $22 per tonne of wheat to an average of $34 per tonne. This is an increase of more than 57 per cent.
Remote Air Services Subsidy Scheme
The RASS scheme subsidises the costs of air operators contracted to deliver passenger and freight services (including essential medical, food, educational and other services) to 250 remote communities in the Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Cape Barren Island in Bass Strait.
The Government will spend an additional $7.7 million over the next four years to maintain RASS — $1.5 million of that in 2004-05. The additional funding will ensure that remote and isolated communities, including indigenous communities, have reasonable access to essential services and supplies on a year-round basis. The increase in funding will be extended through to 2007-08.
A competitive tendering process, applying published selection criteria, will be undertaken to engage suitable air operators for RASS air services.
Strengthening security at Australia’s regional airports
Recent world events have highlighted the need to continue building on existing work to strengthen Australia’s transport security systems. The Government recognises that transport security at smaller regional airports is a high priority but that owners and operators are often providing their services with slim margins.
Airports in regional Australia will receive an extra $21 million in transport security funding in 2003-04. This increases the assistance to $35 million now available to help smaller airports implement security measures. The extra funding more than doubles the $14 million announced in the Government’s Enhanced Aviation Security Package in December 2003, reflecting the high priority of transport security in our regions.
One-off grants will be provided to each of the 140 airports soon to become regulated under the new Aviation Transport Security Act 2004. It will not now be necessary for airports to match the amounts provided by the Australian Government.
The funds will be provided to airport owners and operators to purchase capital items for security upgrades as part of their security plans. Eligible items will include fencing, lighting and alarm systems.