SOCIAL SECURITY – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Original article by Rick Morton, Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Sep-16

The Australian Government is examining a range of options for welfare reform, including giving people who run approved unemployment programs the power to suspend the payments of participants who lack a valid reason for non-attendance. Meanwhile, the Nick Xenophon Team has yet to decide whether it will support the Government’s plan to impose a four-week waiting period before some people below the age of 25 are eligible to receive Newstart. The support of NXT may be crucial in passing the proposed reform.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, BROTHERHOOD OF ST LAURENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. CENTRELINK, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Sep-16

It is estimated that about 770,000 people currently receive the Newstart payment, and the Australian Council of Social Service advocates increasing it by $A53 a week. However, Social Services Minister Christian Porter has rejected calls for an increase in Newstart, arguing that while the base payment is set at $A38 per day, the majority of recipients also receive other welfare payments. Porter has also defended the Budget measure which requires people to wait four weeks before being eligible to claim the Newstart allowance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS