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waste Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
$1.9B

DEWR's $1.9B Workforce Australia — 40% of placements last under 13 weeks, no outcome baseline

ANAO found DEWR's procurement of $1.9B in employment services under Workforce Australia lacked competitive tension, with many regions having only one provider. DEWR has not established outcome baseline data to assess program effectiveness. Senate Estimates revealed 40% of Workforce Australia job placements last less than 13 weeks — below DEWR's own threshold for successful employment.

Department: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
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What This Means

$1.9B of Australian taxpayer money was wasted at Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. ANAO found DEWR's procurement of $1.9B in employment services under Workforce Australia lacked competitive tension, with many regions having only one provider. DEWR has not established outcome baseline data to assess program effectiveness. Senate Estimates revealed 40% of Workforce Australia job placements last less than 13 weeks — below DEWR's own threshold for successful employment.

Spread across Australia's 10.8 million households, that's roughly $176 per family — enough in total for funding roughly 16 public hospitals for a full year.

  • 40% of "successful" job placements don't last 13 weeks.
  • ANAO found they can't prove the program works.
  • This is where your unemployment budget goes.
Amount Spent
Not specified
Original Estimate
Not specified
Waste / Overrun
$1,900,000,000
AI Confidence
0%

Analysis

DEWR spent $1.9B on Workforce Australia. 40% of "successful" job placements don't last 13 weeks. ANAO found they can't prove the program works. $1.9B with no outcome baseline. This is where your unemployment budget goes. @reckonerAU

Sources

https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/workforce-australia-employment-services
Category: waste
Severity: high
Agency: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
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Department: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
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