February 27, 2015
South Burnett CTC chief executive officer Nina Temperton has called for a proper investigation into allegations aired on TV this week that some Jobs Services Australia agencies have been involved in massive fraud.
An ABC-TV Four Corners episode aired on Monday night alleged fraud involving both not-for-profit and private companies.
These agencies sprang into existence after the Federal Government privatised the former Commonwealth Employment Scheme (CES) in 1998.
Four Corners alleged job seekers’ hours were being bumped up, wages inflated, and in some cases, evidence to support payments to the companies from the Federal Government appear to have been falsified.
It said government checks had forced some companies to pay back millions of dollars, but few had been sanctioned.
Mrs Temperton wrote to CTC staff in the wake of the program:
“Many of you are undoubtedly aware of the ABC’s Four Corner program about employment services aired on February 23,” she said.
“The program alleges a range of inappropriate or fraudulent practices by some or even many agencies (private or not-for-profit).
“I would like to assure you all that South Burnett CTC Inc, trading as CTC Employment Services, has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of – but a great deal to be proud of.
“We deal with about 3000 jobseekers and more than 300 employers every year and all our staff do their very best for each one of them.
“We cannot create jobs and we cannot find employment or employees that don’t exist. We cannot make everyone happy all the time and we do make mistakes – but have never intentionally or knowingly done the wrong thing by jobseekers, employers, taxpayers or the government.
“There are many internal and external audits that confirm our honesty and accountability over many years.
“We are on record for requesting from our peak bodies and the department that they make proper investigations of allegations and apply sanctions to those found guilty of breaching the Code of Conduct – even if those breaches may not actually be illegal but ‘merely’ against the spirit of the code.
“Continuing to pretend that there are no bad apples does nothing for the industry as a whole while allowing already disadvantaged jobseekers to suffer further insult or injury.
“We would welcome a proper independent investigation, certain that CTC Employment Services has nothing to hide.
“CTC’s hardworking and honest staff do not deserve to be suspected of wrong doing, instead they deserve praise for trying their hardest to work within very complex guidelines in a very difficult labour market – and doing it very well.”
- External link: ABC Four Corners episode “The Jobs Game”
