[Greens-Media] Greens support Catholic response on Welfare to Work ethics

[Twomey, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

> Greens support Catholic response on Welfare to Work ethics
> 
> 
> 
> Senator Rachel Siewert today expressed support for the announcement by
> Catholic Social Services Australia that it had advised its member
> agencies not to participate in the harsh Welfare to Work financial
> case management regime.
> 
> "We share the concerns of support staff being put in the unethical
> position of having to enforce the government's harsh new breaching
> regime," she said.
> 
> "We understand why they would not want to counsel or case manage
> unemployed people, single parents or disabled people cut off from
> support payments for eight weeks by this unfair and deeply flawed
> system, when they know first-hand the suffering this will cause."
> 
> "Many people clearly warned the Government that this would happen when
> the legislation was introduced last year, but they ignored the
> concerns of the social service sector and pushed on with this
> paternalistic regime," said Senator Siewert.
> 
> With many other charities and faith-based organisations refusing to
> participate, this undermines the government's approach of out-sourcing
> welfare to the community sector. 
> 
> This will throw the burden back onto Centrelink staff and exacerbate
> their problems with staff retention, low morale and difficult
> caseloads.
> 
> The Greens have called for a fairer income support system, and urge
> the government to focus on providing more training opportunities to
> address Australia's pressing need for more skilled workers.
> 
> 
> 
> For more information an comment please call
> 
> Chris Twomey
> 
> Personal Advisor
> 
> Senator Rachel Siewert
> 
> Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia
> 
> WA office: 08 9228 3277 Canberra: 02 6277 3587
> 
> mobile: 0407 725 025
> 
> www.rachelsiewert.org.au
>