Commonwealth Employment Service

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The Commonwealth Employment Service was an Australian Government employment agency established in 1946 with the introduction of the Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945 and continued to exist under the provisions of the Commonwealth Employment Service Act 1978.

During 1998, part of the Commonwealth Employment Service functions transferred to a new government entity, Employment National, a new government provider of employment services amongst a competitive network of community, government and commercial agencies known as the Job Network. The remaining functions transferred to Centrelink.

On 30 June 2003 Employment National closed its 165 offices.

The Department underwent changes in both direction and name in the 1990's.

Became known as Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA)

With the successful election of the Liberal Government of John Howard in 1996, the Department was on short time. Liberal Government policy stated that all Employment Services were to be opened up to privatisation.

The die had been cast and within 2 years all Federal Government interest and claim to directly run employment services had been relinquished by April 1998.

External or Contracted Case Management (CCM's) 'Job Agencies' tendered for job/employment services. These services were run by organisations, community groups and for the first time 'main stream' privately run agencies.

The Department created the entity "Employment Assistance Australia" EAA. To counter the perception that it no longer wanted to handle employment services for the LTUE clients.

The focus moved to "Intensive Assistance" for all LTUE clients, with a view to assisting those clients with disadvantages to gaining and sustaining employment.

In late 1996, implemented the Job Search Kiosks within CES offices, still in use within Centrelink offices across Australia. The initial idea was to also place these kiosks in shopping centres and libraries to faciltate greater access to jobs for the community. It never eventuated.

As stated previously the primary focus of the the department changed, to 'assisting the Long Term Unemployed' (LTUE) into 'sustainable employment through, the advent of New Work Opportunities (NWO'S)

NWOS's was poor attempt to coerce LTUE clients into a 6 month training scheme, which did not guarantee a job. But, actually forced the clients into the course on penalty of cancellation of benefits. Their length of registration in the CES Job System & Department of Social Security (DSS) now Centrelink computer was then re-set, therefore reducing overnight the unemployment queues and reducing the number of LTUE clients on the Unemployment Register.

From 1996 to its closure in Mid 1998 the Department struggled to convince staff of their future. Assurances were given regularly and with much fanfare. Re-branding exercises, talk of corprate uniforms, designed at great expense to the taxpayers, never eventuated.

"Line Staff" across Australia report that senior mangement at the Area, State Office levels had some knowledge of the future chain of events. Key staff asked and were granted early retirements, redundancy etc and set about garnering a part of the "Brave New World" that was about to grip Australia.

The last two years of its operation for the general public were for the better part 'business as usual. CCM's provided a similar service to DEETYA, but found the rules and regulations governing client FOI, Reduction of DSS Benefits, referral of clients to their services "inconsistent and intermittent." They placed jobseekers but felt the then current state of affairs unwieldy and unfairly slanted towards EAA.

Some welfare agencies did not like the compliance aspect of their role and felt such actions 'did not foster any working relationships with severely disadvantaged clients. As late as 2008, the compliance aspects of the DSS and Employment Services Legislation are still being debated as being too harsh and penalise the most vulnerable in our community.

Staff were advised in March 1997, that as of 30th March 1998 the Department would cease to operate and all employment service functions were to be split between DSS and the soon to be named Jobs Network.

Legislation in 1996-97, brought in under Regaulation and not in the conventional manner, as the ALP would not pass the disolution of the CES, was pushed through by the Howard Liberal Government, in the latter part of 1997.

In mid 1998 Employment National created by the Federal Government to fly the flag in the new Jobs Network environment.

In 2001 Employment National lasting for 2 contract extensions was closed down. Thus finishing the federal government's last chapter on employment service delivery in Australia.

Some staff were absorbed into the new entity Centrelink, others redeployed or received retrenchment payouts.

To outsiders, members of the public and those contractors eager for its demise, it should be noted the comraderie was very good, team spirit and impressive placement results at several outlets was very also very good.

However, competition for jobs with creation of "Employment National" (The shortlived federal government answer to JN)for places was going to be keen. A firm of headhunters, Smalls from NSW, were engaged to 'assess all staff' for possible recruitment to the new commonwealth entity. Emotions ran high when the results were published. Yet recommendations to this new entity were shrouded in secrecy.

Selection and interviews for Employment National staff were made in great secrecy. Causing ill feeling amongst staff and the realisition that the once large CES, would be reduced to selected sites across the country with less than 5 staff per site.

The Productivity Commission Report, No 21 3rd June 2002 "Independent Review of the Job Network" ISBN 1740370872

The above report notes issues with the delivery of Employment Services since June 1998 and raises key issues and problems. Though the conclusion does actually recommend that the 'current service model be continued' Slightly odd when the issues raised were rather significant and the report was highly critical of the current service model.

The contributor notes that these are from their own recollections, 1988-1998 and from one State of Australia's perspective. Whilst members of the public and 'ors' may well say that things have never been better in the delivery of employment services. It should be noted a great deal of experience was lost in the transition to JN. That, the current service delivery of JN has been open to the same criticism as the CES, for sometime. That fraud amongst providers has also been noted in the mainstream media early 2000/1. Also, that some past and current JN staff are themselves, not quite up to task of assisting their clients back into sustainable employment, a charge levelled at the CES by sections from both the media and political arena over time.