December 14, 2016
Shadow Employment Minister Jarrod Blejie has used the collapse of Payless Shoes as an opportunity to attack the State Government’s “Back To Work” program.
Payless Shoes, which has 132 shoes across Australia, went into voluntary administration in November.
Administrators Ferrier Hodgson announced recently that all stores would either close or be sold by February
Payless has 33 shops in Queensland – including a store in Kingaroy Shoppingworld – which employ more than 130 people.
The Kingaroy store is continuing to trade as usual.
“Reports of this financial collapse are terrible news for Payless employees coming into Christmas,” Mr Blejie said.
“The announcement could mean as many as 130 Queenslanders will be out of a job this festive season, making it a bleak Christmas for those families.
“This company collapse highlights the inequity of Labor’s Back to Work package, as most of these workers live in South East Queensland and aren’t eligible for help.
“Labor’s Back to Work program actively discriminates against job seekers in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba.
“There is no rational reason why job seekers in those regions are less deserving of help than people in other parts of Queensland.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk is supposed to lead a government for all Queenslanders but Payless workers looking for assistance will find they are treated like second-class citizens by Labor.
“What assistance will the Palaszczuk Labor Government provide to the 130 Queensland families affected by today’s announcement?”
