The government says it is serious about improving living standards but it has failed to provide targeted and long-term relief for the people who need it the most.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Unemployment and related payments for working-age people were given a welcome boost in last year’s budget. But they remain well below pensions, and far from adequate.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The Institute of Public Affairs says 425,000 more Australians are on welfare than in 2018, but it has double-counted some Australians and left out others.
The forum is also critical of Australia on several other fronts, including income support for the unemployed, job market flexibility and the recognition of trade qualifications.
Hanna Wilberg, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
People on benefits are borrowing from the government to pay for essentials like power bills and car repairs. But repayments leave them with even less than before.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Robodebt affected hundreds of thousands of people and undercut trust in our political and social welfare systems. Unless we act on today’s royal commission report, something like it will happen again.
In this podcast, Labor MP Julian Hill joins Michelle Grattan to discuss the job market and getting people into work, artificial intelligence, Julian Assange, and TikTok.
While Albanese (who lands back in Australia on budget eve) basks in the international limelight, at home Treasurer Jim Chalmers this week has been feeling the heat of the spotlight.
Delivered against a background of rising inflation, increasing interest rates and huge global uncertainties, Labor’s first budget will also contain $33 billion in extra funding for pensions and payments.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
On September 20, the single rate of JobSeeker will climb $25.70, to $668.40 a fortnight – its biggest-ever automatic jump. Yet that’s only $17,378 a year: not even two-thirds of the poverty line.
The concept of unemployment and an unemployment rate is fairly new, dating back to the end of the second world war. It’s increasingly unfit for purpose.
You might be surprised to know that many unemployed Australians are not on unemployment benefits. And then came COVID – which saw a big shift in how many people were able and willing to claim.
A new report on the ongoing impact of the pandemic on social service providers in Victoria found jobs and labour force participation are far from fully recovered.