Pauline Hanson's One Nation, 1998 Queensland State Election
Preamble
Pauline Hanson's One Nation recognises real long term jobs in any substantial numbers must come from the private sector. Governments can, and should, embark on major works but in most cases these are relatively short term situations.
We further recognise governments have consistently held the view employment prospects were increased in proportion to an individual's level of education. While it may be true employment prospects are improved through education, without job creation, this position simply causes job re-distribution.
The current policies relating to the education/employment relationship are making jobs more difficult for less educated people to obtain. Jobs that were once the property of year 12 graduates are now being taken by people with university degrees. Those with only a year 10 qualification have almost no prospect of getting a job in a market geared towards people who in many ways are perhaps over qualified.
With the current policies and existing financial climate, the future is greater numbers of qualified people scrambling for a diminishing job base and less qualified people left with minimal employment prospects and reliance on welfare.
It has always been One Nation's view that governments must provide business with the incentive to invest in new ventures and expand existing ventures. In doing this, business would naturally increase the demand on the workforce.
The current policies are in many ways obstructive to employers wanting to increase their permanent staff with many opting for casuals who require lowered commitments in terms of cost and employment conditions. In particular, Federal schemes that fund wage supplements based on the time a person has been unemployed are often used to obtain cheap labour with the position terminating at the same time as the supplement.
Pauline Hanson's One Nation has always put the need for re-industrialisation as the best way of creating lasting employment with positions for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. This, combined with training our own rather than importing other countries' tradesmen, assistance to local small business and farmers, and further incentive for new ventures in rural areas is the focus of our employment policy.
1: Young Queenslanders Apprenticeship Revival Scheme - Y.Q.A.R.S.
This is a direct payment scheme aimed at providing young Queenslanders with the opportunity to learn a trade by providing employers with incentive through a wage subsidy based on an 80% payment in the first year, 60% in the second year and 40% in the third year - this example is based on a four year apprenticeship with the employer being responsible for 100% of the wage in the fourth year.
In the case of three year apprenticeships, the employer would be responsible for 100% of the wage in the third year.
* Y.Q.A.R.S is intended for 16 year olds with year 10 qualifications who rather than go on to further education, wish to pursue a career in a trade.
* The scheme will cater for 1000 new apprentices each year and will cost $8 million in the first year.
* The all up cost is $48 million over the first three year cycle.
2: The Queensland Trust.
Pauline Hanson's One Nation has consistently put forward the need for a truly National Bank, a People's Bank to provide low interest loans for Australian farmers and business.
The sum of money needed for such a project is beyond the capacity of reasonable re-allocation of funds from this Budget.
However, Pauline Hanson's One Nation stands by the principle of developing a People's Bank and to that end will create The Queensland Trust as a step towards the People's Bank.
The Trust will be formed with three areas of attention.
* Financial assistance to farmers seeking to expand and improve their productivity by embracing new technology.
This fund is intended to assist farmers with the financial capacity for survival, followed by stability and then growth. On a case by case basis, funds will be made available at a flat fixed interest rate of 2%.
* Incentive for new industry/manufacturing ventures.
New industry/manufacturing ventures will be provided with funds on a loan basis also at a flat fixed interest rate of 2%. Monies will be available on a dollar for dollar basis for new ventures in city areas and a $2 for $1 basis for new ventures in rural areas.
* Incentive for expanding existing small business.
Funds will be made available to existing small businesses for the purpose of expansion. These monies will also be provided at a flat fixed interest rate of 2%.