FED:Unemployed should take rural jobs: Truss

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2011
FED:Unemployed should take rural jobs: Truss

By Melissa Jenkins

MELBOURNE, Aug 27 AAP - The Nationals will push for the federal coalition to adopt
a policy of denying unemployment benefits to anyone who refuses work in regional centres.

Tying skilled migrants to regional areas and providing tax incentives for business
are other key parts of the junior coalition partner's regional investment strategy unveiled
on Saturday.

Leader Warren Truss said tough measures were needed to encourage unemployed people
in the cities to take jobs elsewhere.

"Along with the carrot approach we should build into our strategy something of a little
stick," he told the party's federal council meeting in Canberra.

"Young mobile welfare recipients who refuse to take up gainful employment in the regions
should not expect to continue to receive those benefits."

Mr Truss said it was crucial to attract skilled and non-skilled workers to the regions
as farmers recover from floods, drought and the global financial crisis.

He said more than 100,000 jobs in agriculture - 80,000 for skilled labour and 22,000
for entry-level roles - would go begging because of labour shortages.

"Tying new migrants to regional locations experiencing skilled and non-skilled labour
shortages for a specified period can fill the gaps," he said.

Under the medical rural bonded scholarship scheme, doctors are required to live and
work in the bush for a minimum of six years.

"This is a scheme which can surely be extended to other professions, professions that
are in need and demand in regional areas," Mr Truss said.

Mr Truss said agriculture and horticulture apprentices should be reinstated on the
national skills list.

He said tax incentives were important to encourage people to start up or relocate businesses
to the regions.

Mr Truss also called for a tertiary access allowance to help support regional tertiary
students who have to move away from home to study and pledged that a coalition government
would have a dedicated minister for regional health.

AAP mj/it/jjs

KEYWORD: NATIONALS

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