Half a million people on income support are at risk of "serious harm" from a government employment service that is "broken," the Australian Council of Social Service says, calling for a total overhaul in next month's budget.
The council said it had written a letter signed by 23 health organisations, First Nations services, unions and others calling for the government to "commit to wholesale reform of employment services".
"The employment services model is broken, inflicting serious harm and failing comprehensively to meet its stated aim of reducing long-term unemployment," council chief executive Cassandra Goldie said on Friday.
