[Greens-Media] Government spin can’t hide welfare cruelty

[Redman, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

28 May 2014

Government spin can’t hide welfare cruelty

The Australian Greens said today that 18 areas of the country experiencing high youth unemployment would be the first to be affected by the Government’s harsh new regimes for young jobseekers, which will see young people dropped off income support for 6 months at a time.

“The 18 sites earmarked by the Government to begin a work for the dole program in July have high levels of youth unemployment, a sign that they need stronger and more effective job services, training and support programs. They do not need money to be funnelled into work for the dole, they need effective job services, support and real employment opportunities to be created,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on family and community services said today.

“The approach of work for the dole has failed in the past and does not adequately address the barriers to work people are facing. This is the first wave of the Government’s campaign to punish young people for not having a job by exposing them to poverty and disadvantage.

“As the Government’s efforts to sell this budget continue, the Minister is trying to downplay the severity of their plan, saying existing jobseekers will move to work for the dole in January, rather than losing their income support altogether. Six months later they will dropped off income support if they have been unable to find employment.

“Try as they might, the Government cannot spin this cruelty as anything other than what it is. 

“The reality is that existing jobseekers will go through the six month work for the dole period and then be left with nothing. Six months on work for the dole will not address the barriers to employment that job seekers are facing and then at the end of this time people will simply be cut adrift.  They will not have been able to save money during the work for the dole period and will have no backup support.

“The Minister doesn’t seem to understand that people cannot always simply leave a job or a study program and find work immediately. It can take time, especially with youth unemployment so high. Living in poverty and other barriers simply compound these challenges. 

“Jobseekers are facing a clear signal that the Government doesn’t care about condemning young people to poverty and on-going disadvantage,” Senator Siewert concluded.