AGY-4105 | NSW Ministry of Employment

Full description

The Ministry of Employment was established in June 1984. The Ministry absorbed the function of the former Office of Special Employment including:
Community Employment Program
Wage Pause Program
State Government Youth Training Program
Local Government Employment Relief Program and
State Youth Corps

The Ministry also implemented four new employment programs viz
Youth Employment Scheme
Technical Jobs for Women Program
Management Skills in the Community Sector Program; and
Youth Employment Payroll Incentive Scheme

In October 1984 the Premier announced changes to the administration of employment programs after which the role of the Ministry was described as follows:
Providing advice on and developing initiatives to maximise the growth of employment in NSW;
Developing and managing Commonwealth and State job creation programs;
Carrying out detailed labour market analysis, monitoring the impact of structural change on employment in NSW in association with the State Treasury;
Advising the government on the employment impacts of Commonwealth and State Government policies and industrial and commercial development in close consultation with the Treasury and the Department of Industrial Development and Decentralisation;


Offices were established convenient to centres of high unemployment including at
Newcastle (October 1983)
Wollongong (February 1984)
Parramatta (June 1984) and
Coffs Harbour (June 1984)

By 30 June 1986 the Department was led by a Secretary who reported to the Minister for Employment. The Ministry was divided into three main branches

The Assistant Secretary Policy was responsible for Employment Analysis, industry employment; affirmative employment and regional employment;

Director Programs was responsible for the C.E.P. (commonwealth Employment Programs) Secretariat; Regional Offices; Program Development; Women’s Employment and Local Employment; and

Director Administration was responsible for administration, information and communications and computer systems

It would appear that the Ministry for Employment was abolished as an independent agency after 25 March 1988 when it became the Division of Employment of the Department of Industrial Relations and Employment.


Reference
NSW Ministry of Employment Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1986 p. 7-8 and 57