The Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, today visited UnitingCare in Broadmeadows to speak to parents about the Gillard Government’s new participation requirements for jobless families.Under the program, which begins this week, unemployed parents with young children in the Hume area will have new participation requirements and support services to help them prepare for work and make sure their children are ready for school.

Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou is urging local residents of all ages to attend the Australian Government Jobs and Skills Expo in Broadmeadows on Tuesday, 15 May 2012. “Job seekers and those looking to improve their skills will find hundreds of local job and training opportunities at the expo,” Ms Vamvakinou said. “The Jobs and Skills Expo is part of the Australian Government’s action plan to tackle unemployment and skills gaps in the Hume region.

Federal Member for Wills, Kelvin Thomson, and Federal Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou, have slammed the Baillieu Liberal Government’s TAFE Cuts, which will result in severe ramifications for young people in Melbourne’s North.Mr Thomson and Mrs Vamvakinou met with the Chief Executive Officer of Kangan Institute, Ray Griffiths, to discuss the cuts and what they will mean for locals.“We are very concerned to learn that cuts to TAFE funding will mean that up to 52 courses offered by Kangan Institute could be cut. This will mean less opportunity for young people in Melbourne’s north to learn skills and qualifications that would otherwise help them secure a job long term, and help our state up skill its workforce”, Mr Thomson said.

A $25 million fund to help local people fight joblessness and poverty was launched bythe Labor Government this week.
Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou called on local community organisations in the Hume area to submit expressions of interest for grants from the Local Solutions Fund.

Maria Vamvakinou MP, Federal Member for Calwell congratulated Hume City Council for receiving $127,830 to combat graffiti in Hume. The grant was recently announced by Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice Jason Clare, and is funded from money stripped from criminals.

Minister Assisting for School Education Brendan O’Connor and Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou today visited Hume Valley School to hear from parents, teachers and carers about better funding for students with disability following the release of the Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling.

Medicare and Centrelink services will be available from a one-stop shop in Airport West at the end of this month, Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou announced.

Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou today welcomed Fair Work Australia's historic pay equity decision.