The Albanese Labor Government is another step closer to delivering its $5.5 billion commitment to provide better employment services for people with disability and long-term illnesses through the establishment of Inclusive Employment Australia.
This week, 84 organisations have received an offer for funding under Inclusive Employment Australia.
These changes mean more funding, more people accessing services, more tailored support, more accountability and more support for providers to help an extra 15,000 people with disability find a job that they love.
Changes include:
- More funding: an additional $227.6 million over 5 years into the system.
- More people: an additional 15,000 people are expected to use employment services every year. Changes to eligibility will remove the previous rules that participants must be receiving a social security payment or be able to work over 8 hours per week to receive support.
- More responsive to the needs of people with disabilities: new requirements for
- comprehensive staff training,
- invite and acting on feedback from participants and employers,
- people with lived experience of disability in services' leadership teams.
- More diverse services: there will be more specialist providers than the previous scheme. This will enable the program to better cater to the needs of individuals, recognising that the kind of support required to boost long-term employment for someone with autism will not be the same as someone recovering from a physical injury, for example.
- More best practice: $22.1 million to create the Centre for Inclusive Employment, launched in March, to share best practice through resources and training across the sector.
- More accountability: contracts include mechanisms to hold any providers who underperform on expectations to account, with funding redirected towards those who get better outcomes.
- More simplicity for employers of people with disability: reduced red tape and streamlined wage subsidies, with a consistent maximum rate of $10,000. This subsidy boost will help employers cover upfront costs and encourage them to create sustainable positions for people with disability.
This new program will replace the Disability Employment Services (DES) program from 1 November 2025.
The current 245,000 participants under the DES program, and their families and carers can be assured there is nothing they need to do ahead of the transition. They will receive individual communications and support about the new program prior to its commencement.
To help them adjust to the changes, providers will also have access to a dedicated organisation who will provide transition support for up to 12 months.
A full list of providers selected to deliver Inclusive Employment Australia will be available in coming weeks on the Department of Social Services website.
Quotes attributable to Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Social Services:
"For most people, a job is more than a pay packet. It's critical to our self-esteem and sense of connection.
"Australian communities are stronger when we support and empower people with disability to equally participate in all aspects of life, including in our workplaces.
"When workplaces become more inclusive, the economy is stronger, and people with disability are given the opportunity to find a job that they love.
"True inclusion means recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for employment services. We know that in the past, many participants under old programs have not received the support they deserved.
"That's why Inclusive Employment Australia has been designed in consultation with people with disability.
"This new personalised and specialist approach puts people with disability back at the heart of the services, helping them achieve their career goals.
"Inclusive Employment Australia will open up job opportunities across the country to people with disability - helping Australians with a disability get a job they love, and helping employers get the loyal, hardworking staff they want as part of their teams."
