Across the country, people on JobSeeker and Youth Allowance are contacting their local members of Parliament to tell them why we cannot go back to $40 per day, as part of the Raise the Rate for Good campaign’s ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Day of Action.
A wide range of organisations are showing their support through an open statement calling for a permanent and adequate increase to JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and related payments to cover the basics, so everyone can put a roof over their head and food on the table.
Signatories include the Australian Medical Association, Cancer Council Australia, the Centre for Economic Development of Australia, the Country Women’s Association, the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, People with Disability Australia, the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Council of Single Mothers and their Children, and Council on the Ageing Australia.
The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Day of Action coincides with the release of a survey by Anglicare Australia showing that, under the old Newstart rate of just $40 a day, people without paid work were having to turn to charity to get by on the basics, with 1 in 2 people (44 percent) who came to Anglicare for help needing help for a year or more and 40 percent supporting children.
A recently released survey by the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Council of Single Mothers and their Children of parents receiving the temporarily increased JobSeeker payment found nearly 7 in 10 said their family was healthier due to having enough food to eat and healthier options.
