Labor's 'walk' from the dole program

Bill Shorten’s Labor opposition is preparing to walk away from the unemployment program, Work for the Dole, arguing it punishes the unemployed, puts young people in unsafe workplaces, and too often fails to get them into work.

The decision, yet to formalised, would remove the last vestiges of bipartisanship underpinning a scheme that has operated under governments of both stripes, while exposing Labor to the charge that it is weak on mutual obligation for welfare recipients.

Signalling the move, Labor’s spokesman on employment services and workforce participation, Ed Husic, launched a stinging attack on the program in Parliament during Thursday’s adjournment debate, calling the scheme, costing $156 million this year, a “dud” from which seven out of 10 compulsory participants, failed to find stable work.

"At this point we're working on alternatives to it," Mr Husic said.

Labor MPs Ed Husic during question time on Thursday.

Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

"The biggest thing for us right now is to put a sharp focus on the safety issues around the program and the fact that the Coalition has had more than enough warning that there are elements of this that are basically unsafe.

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