Queensland would benefit from raising the rate of income support As the leaders of both major parties campaign in Queensland, a fresh analysis by ACOSS reveals improved income support is both politically popular and critically important to reducing the risk of poverty. ACOSS has cross-referenced income support for the marginal Queensland seats of Longman and Blair against Ipsos polling conducted in the two seats in November. It finds the following: In the electorate of Blair:
- 16,754 people received payments in September 2021 that would increase under ACOSS’ Raise The Rate recommendations. Most receive JobSeeker (8,959) and lost $50 in income per week when the Coronavirus Supplement was abolished in April this year, sending them even deeper into poverty with JobSeeker being just $45 a day.
- 18,084 receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance that would increase by 50% if Raise the Rate recommendations were implemented.
- Ipsos polling in November in the seat of Blair found 65 per cent of respondents either ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ agreed that the rate of income support should be above the poverty line, while 22 per cent ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ disagreed.
- More than half (51 per cent) said they would be more likely to vote for a politician if their party committed to increasing the JobSeeker rate above the poverty line of $67 a day, while only 13 per cent said it would make them less likely.
In the electorate of Longman
- 14,849 people received payments in September 2021 that would increase under ACOSS’ Raise The Rate recommendations. Most receive JobSeeker (8,408) and lost $50 in income per week when the Coronavirus Supplement was abolished in April this year, sending them even deeper into poverty with JobSeeker being just $45 a day.
- 18,579 received Commonwealth Rent Assistance that would lift by 50% if Raise the Rate recommendations were implemented.
- Ipsos polling in November found 65 per cent of respondents either ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ agreed that the rate of income support should be above the poverty line, while 22 per cent ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ disagreed.
- More than half (51 per cent) said they would be more likely to vote for a politician if their party committed to increasing the jobseeker rate above the poverty line of $67 a day, while only 10 per cent said it would make them less likely.
ACOSS Acting CEO, Edwina MacDonald, said the analysis was a wake-up call for politicians as they shift to a campaign footing. “More than one in ten voters in these marginal seats are grappling with income support that just isn’t enough to cover the basics. COVID has created deep economic damage and people need support to stabilise their lives, look after their health and plan for the future. “As the Government and Opposition consider both the election and the mid-year economic update, boosting JobSeeker must be at the top of the agenda. The recovery is patchy and better income support will foster economic opportunity and social stability for communities that have shouldered the burden of the pandemic. “This research proves that decent income support is a vote changer. So many of us either lost a job or saw someone close experience difficulty. This is seared into the minds of voters and politicians need to grasp what the people want – a post-pandemic society that guarantees if you fall on tough times, you will be supported. “At $45 a day, the current JobSeeker Payment forces people to skip meals and medicines. We can do better than this and polling shows political candidates who reflect community empathy will be rewarded for doing so.”
