The Federal Government has officially launched its Restart programme, designed to help more mature-aged job-seekers into the workforce.

Restart provides a $10,000 incentive to employers to hire and retain mature age job seekers aged 50 and over who have been on income support for six months or more.

Australia’s ageing population means boosting workforce participation will be critical to future prosperity.

Not only this, but it has be frequently proven that mature-aged workers make valuable contributions to the workplace, often in ways that younger staff would not be able.

The Restart programme is worth $524.8 million over four years, and it is one part of the recent budget measures aimed at getting and keeping more people into useful employment.

Other programmes included in the recent budget were; a new Work for the Dole scheme targeting areas of high unemployment, ‘Relocation Assistance to Take up a Job’, and the Job Commitment Bonus, which will provide $6500 to young, long-term unemployed people if they get a job, and stay in continuous work and off welfare for two years.