‘Trapping people in poverty’: calls to raise Centrelink payments
New analysis has revealed some families on Centrelink are unable to afford food, rent and transport.   


News.com.au
June 13, 2024

The government is being urged to increase JobSeeker payments, after new analysis shows those living on centrelink payments are unable to afford essentials such as rent, food and transport.

Anglicare Australia’s 2024 cost of living index, which compared data on key living costs against rates of income support, found a family of four with two parents on JobSeeker wouldn’t be able to afford rent, food and transport.

The report found the family would fall short by $17, “meaning they are much more likely to live in unsuitable accommodation and be cutting back on household expenses such as food”.

The report showed average rents had risen more than 50 per cent since 2020.

A single parent on the Parenting Payment would have $24, or about $3 per day, left over after rent, transport and food, while a JobSeeker recipient living in a sharehouse would have $18 leftover per day.

A JobSeeper recipient would not have enough money to move out of a sharehouse and live in a one bedroom rental, the analysis found.

The report also showed average rents had risen more than 50 per cent since 2020. 

Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said it had never been harder to live on JobSeeker and other Centrelink payments, “with living costs spiralling and rent costing more than ever.”

Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said Centrelink payments had been too low for too long.

“That’s why Anglicare Australia has been calling for years on the Government to raise the rate of Centrelink payments above the poverty line,” Ms Chambers said.

“These payments have been too low for too long, trapping people in poverty instead of helping them escape it.”


Ms Chambers said because Centrelink payments didn’t cover the costs of essentials, like food and rent, people were being forced to skip meals, avoid medical care, and cram their families into overcrowded homes.


“Some are being pushed into debt spirals just to keep up with everyday costs,” she said.

“These numbers show us that Australians doing it tough need real action, and real leadership. That means raising the rate of Centrelink payments, ending unlimited increases, and building more social housing.

“We must raise the rate of these payments. Without action, people will be pushed even deeper into hardship, poverty and homelessness.”   

https://federal.governmentcareer.com.au/news/gas-regimes-miss-billions







A new report by The Australia Institute shows multinational corporations are exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) without paying any royalties.

This practice has substantial financial implications, as it involves a significant portion of the nation’s critical gas resources.

According to the Australian Government’s Future Gas Strategy, gas is deemed “critical” to the economy. However, the gas from six of the country’s ten LNG export facilities - comprising four in Western Australia and both in the Northern Territory - pays no royalties at either state or federal levels.

These royalty-free operations account for 56 per cent of Australia’s LNG export capacity.

The financial impact is enormous. Over the past four years, the total value of LNG exports is estimated at $265 billion.

Out of this, LNG produced from royalty-free gas was valued at $149 billion.


The Western Australian facilities alone contributed to $111 billion of this total.

I'm going to step over the line here and say that the tiny amount of hopelessness left for - as example - the single parent on parenting - is enough to drive them to drink etc.  It is a horrendous pressure just doing the same juggling act week after week.... but raising the payments is not the answer since that will feed the same gaping black holes of cash and will accelerate True Inflation.

Now then - the best way to address this is to restructure the economy - some ideas have come forth already...  take possession of our natural resources (AUSTRALIANS to have control over land, air, water and resources - that's a shocker, eh?) ... get some solid future looking infrastructure going instead of building pie in the sky future vertical slums and drug lord turfs - get some real solid things going gang-bustahs, such as the GAIA Mk I and II I've mooted for yez...CONTROL your immigration properly and sensibly for a change so as to empower your own first with work and reliable incomes and genuine broad-based prosperity ... not just 'guaranteed jobs' where you get paid to get paid.... ditch 'privatisation' into the hands of a few select mates with the majority of shares and restore sovereignty to the people and power and even highway security and stability** ...

Actually take a long hard look at how this country has been stuffed up for forty odd years - and get it back on the right track....

Perth Has Fallen...... and will soon be the first to vote in an extreme government to take full control over the shenanigans.... at least that will be the hope....

**

Youse idjits do realise that control over power/energy resources and even movement are national security issues and that privatisation - by failing to produce the goods - is undermining national security and stability, don't you?