RALLY FOR JOSH PARK-FING: 10 years since Work for the Dole site death

To mark the ten years since Josh’s death, Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union members will be gathering at Minister for Skills and training, Andrew Giles’, office in Thomastown today 17 April at 1pm

This week marks 10 years since the death of 18-year-old Josh Park-Fing who died in a forced labour program in Toowoomba on 19 April 2016. Despite a court finding that the Work for the Dole site did not meet basic safety standards, neither the federal government nor his privately owned employment service operator NEATO have been held accountable for his death.

Included below: Included below: comments from Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union spokesperson Jessica Harrison and Antipoverty Centre spokesperson Jeremy Poxon and a backgrounder on the recent Commonwealth Ombudsman investigations.

Since Josh’s death, providers have been using an unlawful ‘Targeted Compliance Framework’ to force people into Work for the Dole. His job provider lied about his rights, under social security law, to pursue an alternative activity. He had already suffered an injury on the site, but the department had no idea about this, or how dangerous the activity was.

AUWU and AC are calling on the Albanese government to:

• Deliver justice for Josh’s family and a proper inquiry into the harm that has occurred on ‘Work for the Dole’ and the Community Development Program forced labour sites in remote areas;
• Immediately end all compulsory requirements and make the employment services system voluntary;
• Raise Centrelink payments above the poverty line.

Quotes attributable to Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union spokesperson Jessica Harrison

“The Albanese government forces hundreds of thousands of people to work for as little as 41 cents an hour on top of their Centrelink payments in unsafe conditions, if they refuse, they will have their below the poverty line welfare payments cut by the unlawful employment services system that the Albanese government refuses to comment on.”

“The AUWU receives reports of sexual harassment and bullying on Work for the Dole sites – these are not safe places. Even during the fuel crisis and high living costs, people are still being made to work for free and the Albanese government takes no issue with this.”

Quotes attributable to Antipoverty Centre spokesperson Jeremy Poxon

“Work for the dole torments its participants, drives down wages and working conditions for all workers, and fails to help people into jobs. It’s a program primarily designed to punish, and it’s obscene that the Albanese government continues to fund it, even after Josh’s death and the injuries and harm that have occurred every year since.”

“Employment services has no accountability in it, a December 2025 report by the Commonwealth Ombudsman found he “could not be assured” the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations “maintains effective oversight of decisions made by providers”. The Ombudsman also questioned the “fairness and reasonableness of decision-making that resulted in job seekers losing vital financial support. Nothing has changed under the Albanese government.”

Media contact: email media at antipovertycentre.org or call/message 0413 261 362 via Signal