The coalition government tells a story of “broken Britain”. Welfare spending is out of control. It is unaffordable. It is excessively generous. It undermines incentives because people are better off not…
The bedroom tax will make life more difficult for home-based workers in social housing.
Frances Holliss
The government intends the much-debated bedroom tax to encourage social tenants to leave properties that are too large for them. Opponents say it intrudes into the personal lives of some of Britain’s most…
Single mothers on welfare need support for further education, not a cut to government payments.
Single mother image from www.shutterstock.com
By Yvonne Joyce, Swinburne University of Technology
Unpopular Government cuts, introduced last year that have pushed more than 100,000 sole parents onto lower support payments, has left many families reeling with single mothers experiencing particular disadvantage…
The prime minister has given the electorate seven and half months to tell her what they want.
AAP/Alan Porrit
We have 226 days until the election, and are hearing lots of pious statements about having time for some serious policy debate.
But we should use this time to move the policy debates well beyond what…
Jenny Macklin has found herself in hot water over comments about the dole.
AAP/Alan Porritt
There seems little doubt that Families Minister Jenny Macklin’s office attempted to “fix up” her extraordinary faux pas last Tuesday – her claim that yes, she could live on the daily income of $35 received…
There’s no evidence to suggest that the government’s income management program is working. So why is it being expanded?
AAP
If Finance Minister Penny Wong is serious about delivering budget savings to Australians, perhaps she should rethink the government’s commitment to its contentious income management program.
By cutting…
The ALP has passed a bill that will reduce the social security payments for single parents — most of whom are women.
Ed Yourdon\Flickr
There’s no doubt that last week’s stoush between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott over sexism and misogyny was extraordinary. But in spite of all the bluster, a comparison of each party’s policies might serve…
Is the number of Australians in poverty increasing, or are the statistics being interpreted inaccurately?
Flickr\Vermin Inc
Over two million Australians are currently living in poverty, according to a report released yesterday by Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). Dr Cassandra Goldie of ACOSS says that it is a…
Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten has agreed to examine Newstart rates after ruling out a raise to the dole earlier this week.
AAP
Why do we have welfare policies that create unnecessary poverty?
Despite a multitude of reports, submissions, public pleas and other advocacy on the problems of Newstart (NSA) recipients, the government…
Policymakers should ensure that the safety net provides adequate income for daily needs as well as ensuring that people are positioned to quickly reintegrate into satisfactory paid employment.
freefotouk
In the late 1990s, American writer and activist Barbara Ehrenreich spent a year working in low end jobs in the United States documenting the pitifully low wages, the oppression, and barriers to upward…
Income management is being introduced in part for child protection, but is could make things harder for families.
AAP/Joe Castro
The start of the new financial year has also heralded the start of one of the major reforms of our income support system, yet few know it is happening.
The Income Management program quarantines at least…
Turn off that light! Poor people are more likely to behave sustainably, whatever they believe.
Justin Scott Campbell
Public housing tenants struggling with their bills will well understand NSW Community Services Minister Goward’s concern over the rising costs of nails and pots of paint. According to the minister, the…
The Prime Minister is selling the Schoolkids Bonus as extra help for families, but is it good policy?
AAP Image/Penny Bradfield
The 2012 federal budget has been described as “a big taxing, big spending budget" with a big focus on welfare. The first spending measure to be legislated and to come into effect is the new Schoolkids…
The corporate concentration of wealth has significant consequences on the political process in Australia and abroad.
eyewashdesign: A. Golden
A few weeks ago, a Deakin University academic, Martin Hirst, made some interesting comments about the politics and economics of class warfare and redistribution. He correctly noted that the accusations…
The increased provisions for welfare spending are partially symbolic, but also lay the foundations for a more progressive tax and welfare system.
AAP
The Treasurer Wayne Swan has described the 2012 Budget yesterday as “a Labor budget to its bootstraps”, and commentators have variously seen it as “a big taxing, big spending budget, including a big increase…
Carers lose out in the current welfare system.
Flickr/dominikgolenia
Almost 50 cents of every dollar spent by governments in Australia goes on social spending – either social security or health and community services. This week’s tax forum must reform the system, as the…
Children of separated parents have higher rates of emotional problems but it doesn’t mean these families are bad for kids.
By George Patton, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
The mental health and well-being of Australian children is deteriorating and this is caused by a breakdown of two parent families, according to a report released today by University of Sydney Law Professor…
Without the truly important issues on the agenda, October’s tax forum will achieve little.
AAP
Debates around tax are too often seen as marginal to real life and not very interesting.
October’s tax forum offers an opportunity to challenge this misconception and do some hard thinking about what…
It’s time to give people a hand up through welfare.
Flickr/sidkid
As a senior public servant I became increasingly frustrated that too many government initiatives, always well meant and often well implemented, simply ended up compounding the problem of passivity and…
Australia has one of the lowest poverty rates for families in work in the OECD.
Flickr/adwriter
One of the most hotly debated features of Budget 2011 was the freezing of thresholds for some family payments. This has been described positively as a “war on middle class welfare” and negatively as punishing…
