Bligh's $10m jobs rescue plan
By Tony Moore | smh.com.au | 28 August
Businesses faced with laying off workers will be able to apply for $5000 grants and free professional advice under the new JobsAssist program.
The announcement comes after criticism of the Premier's four-day blitz of 10 regional centres, plugging her government's $18 billion building program and explaining its decision to sell public assets.
On Wednesday, Ms Bligh and Treasurer Andrew Fraser were heckled by a handful of Electrical Trades Union (ETU) members protesting against the asset sales.
The JobsAssist program is aimed at vulnerable firms with 10 or more full-time employees, Ms Bligh said.
"We don't want to just focus on picking up the pieces after large-scale retrenchments, although we will continue to work with job seekers when that happens," Ms Bligh said.
"With JobsAssist we will put more emphasis on early intervention, saving jobs instead of acting after they have been lost," she said.
"Funds will be directed towards early intervention in businesses to help them avoid closure and jobs losses," she said.
Accountants and financial planners have been asked to provide the advice to the businesses.
The Premier will announce the program this morning in Gladstone on the final day of a four-day infrastructure and jobs promotion tour.
It includes:
- professional advice worth up to $3000 to targeted firms to help them develop a plan of action;
- up to $5000 to help firms put these action plans into gear;
- professional guidance to Commonwealth and State programs to help businesses; and
-access to online tools supported by workshops, seminars and one-on-one consultations.
Treasurer Andrew Fraser said access to existing assistance for workers who lost their job would be maintained if a firm became involved in the JobsAssist program.
Unemployment in Queensland rose from 5.5 per cent to 5.8 per cent in July, despite unemployment falling in both New South Wales and Victoria.
Queensland's unemployment now matches the national figure of 5.8 per cent.
A new business hotline for JobsAssist - 1300 363 711 - starts at 9am
First published by Smh.com.au on August 28 2009
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