Nearly $1.4m dollars has been ripped off in fraudulent payments under Labor's flagship employment program and another $20m spent on jobs that only lasted 4 weeks.
LNP Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business Fiona Simpson labelled Labor's administration of the Back To Work Program as shoddy and a rip-off for job-seekers and taxpayers.
“The scheme is riddled with rorts and rip-offs which is unfair to the unemployed and legitimate small businesses whose taxes are subsidising the abuse of others," Ms Simpson said.
The program pays grants of up to $20,000 to employers who take on unemployed workers.
The Back to Work frauds were detailed in the answer to an LNP question on notice (see link below).
“Labor's Back to Work scheme is creating lots of work opportunities – for fraudsters," Ms Simpson said.
“The cost of these scams is alarming and it's likely many other cases have gone undetected.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government has also admitted that in 2018-19, 6,703 Back to Work jobs ended after the first four-week incentive subsidy was paid.
"Labor has paid out $20million of taxpayers' cash for jobs that basically went nowhere," Ms Simpson said.
"I'm concerned that many of the 'jobs' created through Back to Work disappear as soon as Labor sends out the cheque.
"Labor must urgently fix the flaws in its Back to Work program.
"This is more proof that Labor isn't working, which is why Queensland has the highest unemployment rate in mainland Australia."
Background
Fraud QoN: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2019/1055-2019.pdf
Estimates Transcript (see page 96): https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2019/2019_08_01_EstimatesEEC.pdf
