Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment
QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
Supplementary Budget Estimates 2017 - 2018
Outcome 1 - Employment
Department of Employment Question No. EMSQ17-004476
Senator Siewert provided in writing.
Question
Complaints received regarding job service providers
1. How many complaints have been received by the Department of Employment about job
service providers since the establishment of jobactive in 2015 broken down by:
a. year
b. state and territory
2. How many of these complaints relate to interactions between job service providers and
individuals who have been identified as experiencing barriers to employment including
disability, injury, illness or other disadvantages broken down by
a. year
b. state and territory
3. How many of these complaints resulted in the Department of Employment taking action
against a job service provider broken down by
a. year
b. state and territory
4. How many of these complaints were subsequently referred to the Commonwealth
Ombudsman broken down by
a. year
b. state and territory
5. In how many instances has the Commonwealth Ombudsman taken issue with the
Department of Employment’s handling of a complaint against a job service provider broken
down by
a. year
b. state and territory
Answer
1.
The number of complaints about jobactive providers, since the establishment of
jobactive on 1 July 2015, to 31 August 2017 are:
a. year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
Total
Complaints
15,746
15,246
2407
33,399
SQ17-004476
b. state and territory
State not
ACT
NSW
NT
QLD
SA
TAS
VIC
WA
recorded
Total
Complaints
340
9933
204
7755
3768
599
7619
2352
829
33,399
2.
The number of complaint records, for the period 1 July 2015 to 31 August 2017, where
the complainant has identified a barrier are:
a. year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
Total
Complaints
7933
6263
938
15,134
b. state and territory
ACT
NSW
NT
QLD
SA
TAS
VIC
WA
Total
Complaints
194
4751
131
3564
1828
220
3363
1083
15,134
Barriers are disclosed by job seekers during an Employment Services Assessment.
While a job seeker could identify more than one barrier, this report counts the number
of job seekers, not the total number of barriers.
3.
Complaints referred to a jobactive provider by the Department of Employment for
further action, for the period 1 July 2015 to 31 August 2017:
a. year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
Total
Complaints
2585
2064
346
4995
b. state and territory
State not
ACT
NSW
NT
QLD
SA
TAS
VIC
WA
recorded
Total
Complaints
68 1458
35 1110
610
87 1115
374
138
4995
4.
The Department is not aware how many of these complaints have been ‘referred to’ the
Commonwealth Ombudsman (Ombudsman). Job seekers are not required to notify the
Department of a complaint to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman also does not advise
the Department of details of all individual complaints.
5.
The Ombudsman has closed, with comments or suggestions, seven matters relating to
the Department’s handling of a complaint against a jobactive provider. The locations of
the complainants are set out in the table below.
Period
Ombudsman comments/suggestions
State/Territory
regarding Department’s handling of a
complaint against a jobactive provider
1 Jul 15 – 30 Jun 16
1
VIC
1 Jul 16 – 30 Jun 17
4
QLD, NSW, VIC, SA
1 Jul 17 – 7 Nov 17
2
NSW
SQ17-004476
