A step forward on employment services - but we’re not done yet
The Albanese Government has taken a significant step towards employment services reform, with Minister Amanda Rishworth outlining a major shake-up of the system yesterday.
The reforms would move the employment services system away from the one-size-fits-all model that has not worked for too many people.
This is a big shift, and it didn’t happen without pressure.
Our campaign is already making a difference.
But here’s the reality:
👉 Private providers will continue to play a role in employment services
👉 There is still no clear commitment to expanding direct public service delivery where it’s needed
At the same time, the evidence couldn’t be clearer. Just 11.7% of job seekers found long-term work through providers in the last reporting year.
That’s not success - it’s system failure.
What needs to happen next
We’re at a turning point.
The Minister has made clear that the detail of this new system is still being worked through - and that means the decisions that come next will shape whether this reform actually delivers.
This is a huge opportunity to get employment services right - but only if the Government is prepared to go further.
That means being open to a much stronger role for the public service, especially where private providers are falling short, including:
• Expanding the role of the public service where private providers are failing jobseekers
• Bringing more services back in-house to the public service over time
• Direct public delivery in places like the ACT and regional communities, where a community-based, accountable service is more effective
• Building a system that delivers real support — not churn, not compliance, and not punishment
Because tweaking a broken model won’t fix it.
We need an overhaul so the system can support people into secure and meaningful jobs, connect employers with the right workers and put people before profits.
Where to from here?
The Government has acknowledged the system is broken. Now we need to make sure the solution matches the scale of the problem.
That means staying focused, keeping the pressure on, and pushing for an employment services system that puts people before profit.
We’ve shifted the debate - now we need to finish the job.
Stay with us. More to come.
Media report
Amanda Rishworth says jobseekers will no longer be forced to submit ‘endless’ pointless job applications:
The Guardian Wednesday 27 May 2026