By Theresia Titus
St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) National Council has this month called on the Federal Government to retain JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments to keep Australians out of poverty.
In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 and the Australian Government’s response to the pandemic, Vinnies National Council believes “the current JobSeeker rate should be kept when it moves back to Newstart (an additional $560 per fortnight) or be matched to existing aged and disability pensions (an additional $370 per fortnight)”.
Vinnies recommended that those in need should not have to revert to the old Newstart and Youth Allowance rates when the JobSeeker payment ends.
In a report published last year by Vinnies National Council that “a single unemployed person on Newstart allowance receives as little as $277.85 a week, or just $39.70 a day”.
Speaking to The Record, Vinnies National Council Chief Executive Toby oConnor explained that Vinnies, along with other organisation, have been campaigning to increase the rate so people can survive.
“With COVID-19, the Newstart allowance was recognised to be too low for Australians to live on, and so a higher JobSeeker payment rate was introduced. Newstart base rate must be increased when JobSeeker finishes in mid-September,” Mr oConnor said.
“Our position is that we welcomed the Federal Government’s initiative in the form of JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments, however, prematurely stopping these payments will likely mean many Australians will be forced to rely on the supports and assistance that charitable organisations can deliver.
“Finishing JobKeeper will increase the risk that many businesses will no longer be sustainable during the long recovery period that will follow self-isolation policies. Our national, state, and regional economies will suffer,” he explained.
Mr oConnor emphasised that there were various communities and regions in Australia that were not capable of functioning without the Federal Government support.
“There are different communities or regions in Australia that are beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 isolation. These areas will see a return to healthier economic and fiscal growth as their economies move back to normal,” Mr oConnor added.
“But there will be other regions where Australians businesses and workers will still need financial assistance from Government because their communities will move out of isolation slower.”
Mr oConnor said the JobSeeker payment needed to be extended beyond September and most likely into the beginning of 2021.
He also mentioned that Vinnies National Council supports the Australian Council of Social Services “Raise the Rate” campaign to increase Newstart, Youth Allowance, and other allowances to the JobSeeker level.
In its submission – which was drawn from the information collected by Vinnies’ members across the states and territories – Vinnies National Council also called for “an investment of at least $7.7 billion into social housing, suspension of the next stage of tax cuts; access to medical treatment and Medicare and a financial safety net for people seeking asylum; and bipartisan support to develop a national anti-racism strategy”.“Should the government end the income supports [in September as planned], we would be advising them of groups and communities who will need to access emergency relief funds distributed by from charities,” Mr oConnor concluded.
To access a copy of the submission, Click Here