Newstart is currently just $38 a day – and it hasn’t changed since 1994. People are living in poverty and this has to change.
The fact is people don’t want to be on Newstart that want work. People seeking work deserve to be supported adequately, and living in poverty is a barrier to work. Those seeking work should be able to afford the essentials, the current payment of less than $40 a day doesn’t cover that.
It’s disappointing that both major parties are refusing to budge in this space when people are clearly living in poverty.
The Government and the Labor party need to find the political will and exercise some compassion and common sense. It is accepted by all major stakeholders that the payment is too low and that needs to change.
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