The Antipoverty Centre seeks to defend and advance the rights of people living in poverty. We are a collective of activists, advocates and researchers with direct, contemporary experience of poverty and unemployment. We have deep expertise in poverty because we live it.
We are calling on the Government to #RaiseTheRateForAll and address all welfare payments urgently as millions suffer through the worst cost of living crisis in decades.
With such wealth in this country there is no excuse. The ALP can't talk credibly about balancing the books, when they are signing off on $360+ billion in submarines that ...
The Antipoverty Centre seeks to defend and advance the rights of people living in poverty. We are a collective of activists, advocates and researchers with direct, contemporary experience of poverty and unemployment. We have deep expertise in poverty because we live it.
We are calling on the Government to #RaiseTheRateForAll and address all welfare payments urgently as millions suffer through the worst cost of living crisis in decades.
With such wealth in this country there is no excuse. The ALP can't talk credibly about balancing the books, when they are signing off on $360+ billion in submarines that will be out of date by the time they hit water in 2040. Or $10 billion plus per year to fossil fuel subsidies, or the Stage 3 tax cuts of $240 billion mostly benefiting those over $100k.
We have long called for the government to increase all Centrelink payments to at least the Henderson poverty line and ensure that no person is living in poverty.
Where we are at
* In March 2023, research from ACOSS found that seven in ten people on income support were eating less or reporting difficulty getting medicine or care.
* About 477,000, or nearly half, the number of people who are forced to use employment services are disabled. Many should be on the Disability Support Pension but its extremely limited, with onerous processes and appeals required. Often expensive reports from specialists are required which are out of reach for people in poverty on Jobseeker.
* 200,000 people on Youth Allowance are forced to survive in even deeper poverty than those on JobSeeker, receiving only $281 a week to live on.
* 479,815 people on an unemployment payment have relied on it for more than two years.
When Minister Rishworth was questioned by an anti poverty advocate on Q&A recently she said it would be "economically irresponsible" to raise the rate
...During a rental crisis, where rents increased 2.5% last quarter and about 10% over the past year, the Minister said it would be irresponsible to make sure that people on payments and on low incomes could keep a roof over their head.
...During the cost of living crisis, where people are unable to afford fresh vegetables and food inflation was 17.8% in December 2022, the Minister says it is irresponsible to keep them fed.
More recently Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said they "can't fund every good idea"
At the Antipoverty Centre we are working to Break the Poverty Machine, and we will be updating you with more action you can take #BTPM
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This email campaign is hosted by CounterAct as part of our support for grassroots groups, but the data will be only used by Anti Poverty Centre to contact you on this issue.
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List of MPs and senators who have signed the ACOSS open letter, thank them and make sure to get them to keep the pressure going after the budget. See the full list here:
- Alicia Payne MP (ALP)
- Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP (ALP)
- Louise Miller-Frost MP (ALP)
- Kate Thwaites MP (ALP)
- Peter Khalil MP (ALP)
- Mary Doyle MP (ALP)
- Carina Garland MP (ALP)
- Steve Georganas MP (ALP)
- Bridget Archer MP (LNP)
- Kate Chaney MP (Independent)
- Zoe Daniel MP (Independent)
- Dr Helen Haines MP (Independent)
- Dr Monique Ryan MP (Independent)
- Kylea Tink MP (Independent)
- Sophie Scamps MP (Independent)
- Zali Steggall MP (Independent)
- Allegra Spender (Independent)
- Andrew Wilkie MP (Independent)
- Adam Bandt MP (Australian Greens)
- Elizabeth Watson Brown MP (Australian Greens)
- Stephen Bates MP (Australian Greens)
- Max Chandler-Mather MP (Australian Greens)
- Senator David Pocock (ACT)
- Senator Jacqui Lambie (TAS)
- Senator Lidia Thorpe (VIC)
- Senator Penny Allman-Payne (QLD)
- Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (SA)
- Senator Janet Rice (VIC)
- Senator Jordon Steele-John (WA)
- Senator Barbara Pocock (SA)
- Senator Larissa Waters (QLD)
- Senator Mehreen Faruqi (NSW)
We Can't Wait
We are calling on the Federal Government to #RaiseTheRateForAll, not just JobSeeker, but ALL social security payments to address the worsening cost of living crisis that those on the lowest incomes are facing right now.
The Antipoverty Centre is disturbed by reports that the Albanese government may restrict a potential JobSeeker increase to people aged over 55 years, leaving 684,360 people with no help. The government must increase the payments for everyone.
Whilst finding employment can be harder for older people, the cost of groceries, rent, medication and food are the same for all. Young people, particularly those on Youth Allowance receive least of anyone on $281 a week, and are badly suffering.
We reiterate our call for the government to increase all Centrelink payments to at least the Henderson poverty line and ensure that no person is living in poverty.
The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee (EIAC), the government's own committee reported in April calling for a range of measures, yet they won't even address the key recommendation from their committee - which called for a significant increase to Jobseeker, which is so inadequate ’as to create a barrier to paid work'.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers immediately sought to hose down expectations after the report release and various MP's have been sent out to repeat the party line.
After years in opposition calling for an urgent increase, and their own committees recommendations it shows, once again that Labor believes that people in poverty are politically expendable. Despite the large numbers being bandied about, its only $6 billion per year for the proposed increase from the EAIC.
However, a backbench revolt has erupted in the last week with 17, and counting, Federal ALP Representatives at time of writing coming out in support of raising the rate, instigated in part by a number signing onto this ACOSS letter alongside numerous Independents and Greens.
We know it is possible for a government to lift people out of poverty. In 2020 the Liberal government moved to lift people out of poverty instantly during the COVID crisis, and so the ALP government must lift everyone out of poverty for the cost of living crisis.
People can see through the government's attempts to help some, while leaving more than 600,000 on Jobseeker struggling - along with everyone else on other payments and low wages. People aren't buying it, because many of us take seriously - #LeaveNoOneBehind - it may be a (hollow) slogan for them, but its what most of us really want.
Lets let them know, loud and clear, that we won't stand for it - and need to #RaiseTheRateForAll
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The Antipoverty Centre (AC) seeks to defend and advance the rights of people living in poverty and those experiencing harm on the basis of race, disability, criminalisation, gender, visa status or any other form of oppression. This email campaign is hosted by CounterAct as part of their support for grassroots groups, but the data will be only used by AC.