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CEO’s Report

This year was one with significant milestones for NESA and Australian employment services: October 2017 marked NESA’s 20 years of service to the sector, and May 2018 marked the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Job Network, which was the commencement of the outsourced employment services market.

The move to an outsourced model was viewed as a radical and bold experiment. Over the years of its operation, there has been significant evolution to achieve continuous improvement in the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of services designed to help Australians find and maintain work. The success of Job Network resulted in other programmes being drawn into the contracted framework including Disability Employment Services and the Community Development Programme.

Australia has learnt many lessons along the journey and the sector has gained much wisdom about effective and promising policies and practices. Uniquely, the sector has significant understanding of the operational and business frameworks required to enable successful implementation of such policies and practices to realise continuous improvement. NESA continues to urge the government strongly to better utilise the collective wisdom of the sector to ensure Australia maintains world-leading approaches to achieving inclusive employment.

Australia can and should be proud of the effectiveness of our approach, made possible by the dedication and hard work of the 20,000 devoted employment services practitioners across the country. Australia remains the only nation to have implemented a fully contracted employment services sector. Australia’s world leading model and calibre of providers continues to inspire governments and allied bodies around the globe. A number of countries have progressed their implementation of employment services based on the Australian model and others continue in their the journey. This year NESA hosted 6 international delegations, assisting them to understand the Australian model, its provider network and the broader social services framework. The high standing and reputation of the sector is illustrated by the proportion of international delegations interested in attracting Australian providers to participate in their markets and the number of home grown employment services providers engaged to deliver employment services internationally.

While the Australian employment services market has matured, the drive for continuous improvement has not wavered. Over this year, there has been significant further development and reform.

Disability Employment Services (DES) was subject of major reform of both the programme and its market framework in order to bring greater choice and control to job seekers. This reform includes new market measures, which like the original Job Network, is a bold experiment in driving increased competition, improved participant attraction strategies and higher and more sustainable outcomes. NESA was heavily engaged in the DES reform process, supporting providers in the commissioning process and preparing the sector through capacity building over the year.

The Community Development Programme (CDP) is putting in place measures designed to ensure delivery by local Indigenous organisations, to establish an Investment Fund to support communities to deliver the reforms, and to build local engagement mechanisms to provide advice on local service delivery. Implementation of these reforms is to occur in 2019. We have been tireless in our engagement with Indigenous community leaders and with government to assure that these reforms are appropriate, workable and inclusive.

Australian employment services have gone through various cycles of growth and retraction of complementary programmes. Over the past year we have seen the current growth cycle continue with the implementation of new and expanded programmes: Time to Work, Career Transition Assistance, and the ParentsNext expansion.

A further major reform process commenced this year with the Minister establishing an Employment Services Expert Advisory Panel, to which I was appointed. The Panel schedule is intensive and meets frequently to provide recommendations on the future of employment services in Australia.

Those of us who have worked in the sector since its establishment know that the one constant is change, and this year has been no exception. In addition to programme reform, significant changes to the social security framework commenced with the sector working throughout the year to prepare for implementation of the Targeted Compliance Framework in July 2018.

NESA has been centrally involved in consultation processes, running forums, taskforces, and Special Interest Groups to formulate the sector’s position to contribute to reform processes. The National Conference provided a valuable platform to seek clarification regarding the emerging requirements and challenges associated with reforms and programme development for implementation in July 2018.

My deepest thanks to our colleagues and collaborators in the Department of Jobs and Small Business, the Department of Social Services and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, as well as to the Ministers, Shadow Ministers and parliamentarians who have given their time to meet with us and our members at our various events throughout the year. Like raising a child, addressing the complex nature of unemployment requires a village. NESA extends its thanks and appreciation to our industry and international partners, and the other organisations that have collaborated and supported our representation, sector development and events in varying ways throughout the year.

This year has involved a momentous amount of work on behalf of the sector. This work has been delivered through the stewardship of the NESA Board and dedication of my outstanding team, who are driven by their passion and belief in the purpose of the sector we represent.

Lastly, and most importantly my appreciation and respect goes to the sector leadership and the tireless and dedicated frontline workers in employment services across Australia who make our remarkable and complex system work. The united effort and vision that providers bring into play to ensure all Australians have access to the opportunities and benefit of employment are immense and too often go unrecognised.

It is a continuing privilege to work with and to represent this dedicated and focussed sector, doing the essential work of assuring opportunity for all through employment and inclusion.

Sally Sinclair CEO