Bill Shorten is doing it tough on $330,000

    Anna Caldwell
    News Limited Network
    August 28, 2012
   
EMPLOYMENT Minister Bill Shorten ruled out any immediate increase to the $13,000 a year Newstart allowance yesterday, despite declaring he finds it "hard to make ends meet" on his much larger salary of about $330,000.        

He spoke out as the federal government comes under pressure to increase the $35-a-day dole.

Lobby groups at a government inquiry into the Newstart rate said the size of welfare handouts should be set by a tribunal just like politicians' wages.

Mr Shorten admitted the unemployment benefit was tough to live on - adding that so was his wage.

"I think it would be very difficult to live on $249 (a week)," he said. "I've got a young family, I find it hard enough to make ends meet currently and I've got a job."   

Earlier, the hearing heard evidence that Australians could not survive on the current dole rate of $35 a day and were falling well below the poverty line, with calls to raise the rate by $50 a week.       

Groups as diverse as the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Social Services, in submissions made to the inquiry, said the rate must be boosted because it does not meet community standards of adequacy.    

Treasurer Wayne Swan did not answer twice when asked yesterday if he could live off the dole rate of $35 a day.    

The government has claimed an increase to the rate could be a disincentive to finding work.

I really cannot believe just how pig-ignorant that man is.

And as for Swan.......

... wrote on Aug 28^th, 2012 at 10:10am:



".....let them eat cake........"