Aust's lowest unemployment benefit in the OECD a barrier to work

*Update: Peter Martin: Cutting Newstart was a mistake. The government should own up, and move on. Sydney Morning Herald 

As I mentioned in a post yesterday, anyone who thinks that going on Newstart (or any welfare benefit for that matter) is some kind of lifestyle choice is just wrong. Who would chose to put themselves in such a position of impossible struggle as Newstart is? 

Now that the gov wants to cut it further, again, we're talking real abject poverty. The kind of poverty where there's little chance of escape. Indeed the comments in the video say as much, that having Newstart on such a punishable level is a barrier to employment, not an incentive. In fact as the comments say, European countries that have higher dole levels have more people successfully finding work again.

Australia has the lowest unemployment benefit in the OECD, and now the gov wants to cut it more. Whatever one's political persuasion, is this really the sort of poverty we want to see in Australia?

Generous benefits doesn't keep people unemployed @MichaelMarmot. @cassandragoldie says increase payments #QandA https://t.co/0n5TSpRj5P

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) August 29, 2016