Employment Minister meets with Mount Isa businesses to help jobseekers get Back to Work

Employment Minister Grace Grace today met with Mount Isa businesses to encourage them to access support available through the Palaszczuk Government’s $100 million Back to Work regional jobs package.

Minister Grace said the jobs package was aimed squarely at regional areas such as Outback Queensland that are facing significant employment challenges.

“Back to Work specifically targets jobseekers and employers outside the southeast corner and includes payments of $10,000 for employers who hire an unemployed worker, rising to $15,000 for the long-term unemployed,” Ms Grace said.

“This package will support up to 8,000 regional jobs over two years. It has already delivered for regional Queensland jobseekers and employers.

“Back to Work has given 53 regional employers the confidence to take on 82 jobseekers, including 39 long-term unemployed people who have been out of work for 12 months or more.

“There are a further 42 employer support applications pending and we hope to see many more in coming weeks including our first for Mt Isa.

“This payment will give employers the confidence to employ additional employees and supports Queensland’s regions.”

To be eligible, employees need to have started work on, or after Friday 1 July 2016, and have been employed for at least four weeks. 

“This is a government focused on supporting jobs and supporting our regions,” Ms Grace said.

“This is a positive initiative which has been welcomed by regional employers who believe it will deliver a real boost to local economies.

“I want to encourage local employers to take advantage of our Back to Work initiative by hiring a jobseeker.”

Eligibility criteria apply and payments will be paid to businesses in two parts, the first payment is made after one month, and the balance at the end of the employee’s first year with the business.

Back to Work Teams have also been established across the state to help employers and jobseekers navigate the system and help connect employers with jobseekers in the regional centres.

Businesses can visit www.qld.gov.au/backtowork, or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information about Back to Work, or to apply for an employer support payment.

Media contact: Martin Philip 0427 919 548