Welfare sector to enlist human rights bodies on Newstart

    by: PATRICIA KARVELAS
    From: The Australian
    April 29, 2013

   

THE welfare sector will today discuss applying pressure on the Gillard Government to increase Newstart via international human rights bodies.      :)

At a Public Seminar to be held in Sydney, human rights experts will discuss international action to place pressure on the Australian parliament to increase the single rate of Newstart and other allowances. 

The forum will hear that Newstart hasn't been increased in nearly 20 years and simply is not keeping up with community cost of living, especially rental prices.     :(

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said there was widespread concern, nationally and internationally about the "unbearable low" rate of Newstart, including from the OECD, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, three Australian Parliamentary Committees, numerous reports from leading welfare agencies and academics, and leading business groups, including most recently the President of the Business Council of Australia Tony Shepherd at his recent National Press Club speech.


"With more single parents and more people with disability being forced onto Newstart as a result of social security changes, the case for an increase is compelling," Dr Goldie said.     [smiley=thumbsup.gif]    

"At just $35 a day, people cannot survive on Newstart with any dignity, including being able to afford a roof over their head. An increase in Newstart is a vital investment in supporting people back into paid work."

wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 6:40pm:

Welfare sector to enlist human rights bodies on Newstart     by: PATRICIA KARVELAS     From: The Australian     April 29, 2013     THE welfare sector will today discuss applying pressure on the Gillard Government to increase Newstart via international human rights bodies.      :) At a Public Seminar to be held in Sydney, human rights experts will discuss international action to place pressure on the Australian parliament to increase the single rate of Newstart and other allowances.  The forum will hear that Newstart hasn't been increased in nearly 20 years and simply is not keeping up with community cost of living, especially rental prices.     :( ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said there was widespread concern, nationally and internationally about the "unbearable low" rate of Newstart, including from the OECD, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, three Australian Parliamentary Committees, numerous reports from leading welfare agencies and academics, and leading business groups, including most recently the President of the Business Council of Australia Tony Shepherd at his recent National Press Club speech. "With more single parents and more people with disability being forced onto Newstart as a result of social security changes, the case for an increase is compelling," Dr Goldie said.     [smiley=thumbsup.gif]     "At just $35 a day, people cannot survive on Newstart with any dignity, including being able to afford a roof over their head. An increase in Newstart is a vital investment in supporting people back into paid work."

In other words, just about EVERYONE, except the Govt, the Tropposition, and the
ignorant and selfish middle-class Howardian assholes who seem to think THEY
should get the lion's share of the welfare spend, while the truly needy go without.

Anyway, its moot now, they'll use this supposed 'black hole in the budget' BS to
deny any increase. Wouldn't put it past them for the whole thing to be confected
specifically to justify cuts and deny the unemployed their rightful and far-too-long
denied and WYA overdue increase.

One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time.

Dnarever wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 9:46pm:

One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time.

No, not under those austerity-and-surplus-obsessed grubs.

And it was due to THEM that the unemployed are IN the dire
straights in which they now find themselves.

I'm not feeling compelled.

... wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 10:56pm:

I'm not feeling compelled.

Why not?

SOB

Dnarever wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 9:46pm:

One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time.

Thats funny, the biggest attack on welfare recieptients the country has ever seen came from the beloved socialist gillard, thats conveniently forgotten though.  ::)
Good group to attack though, most of them are dumb arses that still think the light shines out of gillards fat arse no matter how much she screws them over  ;D

Kat wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 9:52pm:

Dnarever wrote on Apr 29th, 2013 at 9:46pm: One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time. No, not under those austerity-and-surplus-obsessed grubs. And it was due to THEM that the unemployed are IN the dire straights in which they now find themselves.

Labor have had six years and done SFA.

Dnarever wrote on Apr 29^th, 2013 at 9:46pm:

One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time.

As I said to Kat. Six years of Labor has done SFA.

Actually that is incorrect. Labor has managed to increase the Social Security payments by billions with their open border policy.

It's Real funny this  situation on Wealfare, where the Government can't or won't give a rise in the amount paid, That would normally be the policys of a Federal LIB/ Nat Government. But in this case it is now the Labor Government that can't or won't provide this rise in welfare.

KJT1981 wrote on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 6:58am:

Kat wrote on Apr 29th, 2013 at 9:52pm: Dnarever wrote on Apr 29th, 2013 at 9:46pm: One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time. No, not under those austerity-and-surplus-obsessed grubs. And it was due to THEM that the unemployed are IN the dire straights in which they now find themselves. Labor have had six years and done SFA.

Howard had twice that long, and did nothing but punish, denigrate and marginalise.

It's Howard who caused the current inequity, he engineered it that way.

Don't even try to make this issue a 'Labor thing', it isn't.

Both sides are culpable.

KJT1981 wrote on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 7:01am:

Dnarever wrote on Apr 29th, 2013 at 9:46pm: One of the worst aspects of a possible coalition government is the almost certainty of no increase for the unemployed for a long long time. As I said to Kat. Six years of Labor has done SFA. Actually that is incorrect. Labor has managed to increase the Social Security payments by billions with their open border policy.

Open border policy? Billions? Got any proof? Pretty sure most migrants have to have a job before they get here and the very small number of refugees who dont get a job straight away may go on the dole?

SOB