Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Ministers statements: veterans support

Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:24): I am thrilled to update the house about the Andrews government’s new plan to further support our ex-Australian Defence Force personnel. The enhanced support for veterans plan has been developed jointly by Jobs Victoria and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in partnership. This is something that Minister Leane and I have been doing. It aims to strengthen our government’s support for veterans looking for work as they move on after their life in service to civilian life. The plan will ask veterans to self-identify on the Jobs Victoria online hub, thereby making it easier than ever to connect these exceptional men and women with appropriate job opportunities.

Ensuring a tailored job support service is available for veterans to access employment opportunities is a high priority for our government, and the introduction of this plan is the latest of many examples of how we are supporting our veteran community. It follows the delivery of a 2018 election commitment of $1 million to secure construction jobs for veterans through the Veterans in Construction program. This program has placed 49 veterans into the construction industry so far, with the ambitious goal of placing a further 100. Since 2016 Jobs Victoria has assisted 210 veterans with employment services and careers counselling and continues to offer wage subsidies of up to $20 000 to employ out-of-work or underemployed veterans. It is my honour, and I know also that it is Minister Leane’s great honour, to work to provide greater employment outcomes and opportunities for our veterans that served our community so well in their earlier careers.