I thought it would never happen. The ultra conservative Business Council of Australia has amazingly come out to support a $50 a week increase in the unemployment benefit.
''Anyone can end up on welfare given changed circumstances and bad luck, and the Labor Party should always have in its eye that people who fall on hard times can live with some dignity and respect,'' the NSW senator Doug Cameron said.
The Northern Territory senator Trish Crossin has called for a welfare summit, so the system of payments and allowances can be examined.
Melissa Parke, who represents Fremantle in Western Australia, said the unemployment payment did not recognise that people faced different costs depending on where they lived.
''Cost of living varies a lot across Australia and one of the difficulties is that the areas where work is available often tend to be areas where the cost of living is high and the availability of housing is poor,'' Ms Parke said.
Conservative economic commentators such as Ian Harper, Judith Sloan and Hugh Morgan have recently said the unemployment benefit is punishing people rather than giving them an incentive to work.
The head of the Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott, told The Sun-Herald there was a ''crude view that somehow if you make payments really inadequate that's an incentive to get back into work''.
''Well, $50 a week is hardly going to change someone's views about work incentives,'' she said. ''People have lost their confidence and their health, they don't have money to get to interviews, they don't have clothes.''
Welfare groups have called for a $50 a week increase.
Link
I nearly bloody fainted when I read that. I dunno if that would change the Sickness Allowance at all, which I had the misfortune to be on last year for a month or two. Even with full rent assistance it was only $300 a week. The rent here is $360, and even if my share is only about $200 then that leaves only $100 for everything else. It's just impossible.
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Peter,
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact that we have Obama, things are still looking bleak. If the Republicans win, I might have to get the f**k out of this country, Thanks very much for "Bittersweet Symphony" especially meaningful after this week; looks like your week sucked as well. I read your foment t the KFC comment.. KFC & Pride in the same sentence?
I t is comforting to know that I have a kindred spirit on the other side of the world. A fellow warrior. http://talkaboutequality.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/bully-the-only-thing-thats-changed-is-the-part-in-his-hair/
That's so sweet Rob X X. The internet is amazing to connect people like us who would otherwise never know each other at all.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation, things are looking bleak here too. If Abbott gets in (Leader of the conservative party here) I think I'm going to have to increase the anti-depressants. More about that above.
Thanks for the blog link. Will keep an eye on it. Wow, we heard the odd thing about the Romney bully incident here, but fuck I had no idea it was that bad. It obviously had an enormous affect on the guy at the receiving end. I know it was in the 1960's, but even back then people were shocked by it.
Yeah, the KFC thing :s Maybe I should put something more at the top of the blog. I honestly don't care what people think about what I write. I've survived more than most people will ever have to deal with. The blog I originally set up to blow off steam somewhere; it was for me, and still is. If people find it interesting or helpful in any way that's a bonus. But it's simply been a way for me to deal with the train wreck.
x x Darl