Media Release - Employment services focused on participation and inclusion
Date published :
12
December
2011
The peak industry body for
Australian employment and related
services, affirmed
today the focus of our members is on making a positive difference
to people's lives by
providing opportunity for all Australians through employment and
inclusion, CEO of
NESA, the National Employment Services Association, Sally Sinclair,
said.
Responding to media reports today
of allegations against a provider
of employment
services, Sally Sinclair said that Australian Government employment
services operate
under a rigorous compliance regime
to assure that service quality
and contractual
obligations are met.
"Our members are firmly focused
on helping every person to
achieve their
employment potential, and we pride
ourselves on helping some of Australia's most
disadvantaged people into sustainable employment," Sally
said.
"Since commencing in July 2009, Jobs Service Australia has
achieved more than one
million job placements. These efforts, made on behalf of the
hundreds of thousands of
job seekers and employers that Job
Services Australia supports, have
been delivered
alongside improved efficiencies for taxpayers," Sally said.
"The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Relations (DEEWR),
who are responsible for administering
employment programs, conducts ongoing
auditing to ensure the integrity of claims for payments," Sally
said.
Providers of Job Services Australia
are required to gather and
maintain significant
evidence to demonstrate service requirements have been met and to
support all claims
for payments. This evidence
is also subject to validation
through monitoring by the
Department directly with job seekers and employers who are
assisted.
"In a highly complex system, where thousands of transactions are
performed weekly,
it is understandable that sometimes
errors may occur, but we have
not seen any
evidence of systemic dishonesty arising from the Department's
independent auditing,"
Sally said.
"NESA is firmly committed to ensuring ethical conduct of providers
and our members
must subscribe to the NESA Code
of Ethics, and agree to observe
high standards of
ethical and professional conduct within their organisation," Sally
said.
"NESA members always cooperate fully
with the Department (DEEWR). Any
allegations of misuse of government
funds should be thoroughly
investigated by the
Department.
Media inquiries: Veronica McGowan NESA 0415 280 917
Links: www.nesa.com.au
issued 12/12/11
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