MOUNT Gambier’s N.F. McDonnell & Sons has been highlighted among businesses which have boosted employment over recent years with the help of Federal Government programs.
This has followed increased investment in the Mount Gambier timber mill business and establishing export markets throughout Asia.
“Over the past few years our family has invested over $20m in our manufacturing facility and this in turn has given us the capacity to now process over 400,000 tonnes of log per annum, more than tripling our previous capacity,” managing director Ian McDonnell said.
“This has also seen employment grow steadily from around 60 employees to now be at 120.
“During this time we have established many export markets throughout Asia and this has positioned the business well for future growth.”
Member for Barker Tony Pasin said the Federal Government continued to help more people into work with recent figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing an increase in seasonally adjusted employment of 4900 in March this year to 12,484, 100.
Full-time employment stands at 8514, 100, 2.7pc higher than it was 12 months ago, while part-time employment rose by 24,800 over the month to stand at 3970, 000 and is 140,200 higher than a year ago.
“The government has put in place the right policy settings which continue to pay dividends, with our economy creating on average around 1000 net new jobs per day over the last 12 months,” Mr Pasin said.
“Since the government came to office in September 2013 we have created a total of 996,800 jobs – an increase of 8.7pc.
“The government is acutely aware there are still more than 730,000 Australians who remain unemployed and that is why this government is committed to creating the right market conditions to give local businesses the opportunity to create more and better paying jobs.”
Mr Pasin said the government had put in place a number of employment programs that were successfully getting people into jobs.
The Jobactive program connects job seekers with employers and is delivered by a network of Jobactive providers in more than 1700 locations across Australia.
Mr Pasin said Jobactive had placed over one million Australians into jobs since July 2015 and this milestone was clear evidence the government’s employment policies are working for Barker with 10,282 local placements.
“The Jobactive program is making a real difference to the lives of many people in the electorate of Barker by helping them to get a foot in the door and back into work,” he said.
“I encourage any businesses in Barker not registered with a Jobactive provider to go and see them – to find out how they can get the right employee for their business and give someone an opportunity.
“Along with Work for the Dole and our PaTH program, the Jobactive program is helping unemployed people get
into one of those job opportunities.”
