Independent review of job network

Preliminaries
Cover, Copyright, Signing Page, Terms of reference, Contents, Abbreviations and explanations, Overview, Recommendations

1 Introduction
1.1 A snapshot of the Job Network
1.2 Scope of the inquiry
1.3 Structure of the report
1.4 Participation

2 Rationales for labour market interventions
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The connection between improved ‘search effectiveness’ and unemployment
2.3 The rationale for subsidising increased search effectiveness

3 Is a purchaser-provider model justified?
3.1 The objectives of the purchaser-provider model
3.2 Direct delivery
3.3 The purchaser-provider approach
3.4 The main challenges to the purchaser-provider model
3.5 Establishing principles where the purchaser-provider model may best apply

4 How the Job Network works — 2002
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Product mix and choice
4.3 Entry, growth and exit
4.4 Pricing
4.5 Contract and performance management

5 Employment outcomes and costs
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Usage and outcomes of the programs
5.3 Measuring net outcomes
5.4 Administrative and methodological considerations

6 Experiences of the Job Network
6.1 Job seeker experience
6.2 Perceptions of employers

7 What services should the Job Network provide?
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Job Matching
7.3 Job Search Training
7.4 Intensive Assistance
7.5 New Enterprise Incentive Scheme and Self Employment Development
7.6 Project Contracting (Harvest Labour Services)

8 Job seeker choices
8.1 Choice of Job Network provider
8.2 Job Network design issues and choice
8.3 Choice of entry into the program?
8.4 Portability between Job Network providers
8.5 Choice of exit?
8.6 Complaints mechanisms

9 Targeting
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Classifying job seekers
9.3 Parking — sources, implications and solutions1
9.4 Referral to other services
9.5 Repeated access to intensive phases of assistance
9.6 Reducing deadweight costs
9.7 The role of specialisation
9.8 Better targeting of particular groups of job seekers
9.9 Targeting issues outside Intensive Assistance

10 Pricing
10.1 The key issues
10.2 Total amount of funding
10.3 Competitive tendering, floor prices and administrative price setting
10.4 Providing incentives to assist disadvantaged job seekers
10.5 Pricing of primary and secondary outcomes
10.6 Modifying eligible outcomes
10.7 The timing of payments
10.8 The impact of the business cycle
10.9 Additional pricing issues for JST and JM

11 Industry dynamics
11.1 Entry
11.2 Growth
11.3 Risk and exits
11.4 Performance assessment: the Star Rating Model

12 Contract monitoring and compliance
12.1 The current approach
12.2 Participants’ views
12.3 Issues and conclusions

13 Competitive neutrality issues
13.1 Employment National
13.2 Job Network versus non-Job Network providers
13.3 For-profit versus not-for-profit providers

14 The roles of the Job Network players
14.1 Criteria for evaluating allocations of responsibility
14.2 Allocating responsibility
14.3 Coordination

15 Extending application of the model
15.1 Some current program examples
15.2 Participants’ views
15.3 Scope for extending the model
15.4 Applying the model to Centrelink

A Participation in the inquiry

B Value Creation Workshops

C Targeting Indigenous job seekers

D Incentives to assist job seekers

E Biases in DEWR’s post program net impact calculation

F The impact of the business cycle

G Competitive pricing

H Wage subsidies

I Incentives for re-assessing special needs

J Job seeker satisfaction surveys

K Forthcoming policy changes to Job Network

L Distribution of outcomes in Intensive Assistance

References