Poverty is a political choice – and the government is choosing to cut taxes for the ultra wealthy instead of raising the rate of income support.
Young people are barely scraping by on youth allowance, older people are increasingly becoming homeless, and it’s harder than ever to access the Disability Support Pension.
We have an income support system that should be universal, but harsh and punitive measures have made it inaccessible to those who need it most and existing payments aren’t enough to live on.
The system is deeply broken. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The Greens have a plan to end poverty in Australia and ensure support is there for everyone who needs it, no matter what.
This starts with raising all income support payment rates above the poverty line to $88 a day.
Everyone deserves the right to live in safety with a roof over their head, food in their cupboard, medical care and hot showers. But in Australia, over 1 million people who are forced to survive on just $48 a day are having to decide which of these they will have to sacrifice.
$48 a day is not enough.
The COVID crisis showed us how easy it is for the government to increase income support to acceptable levels. Instead, the Labor Government is giving tax cuts to billionaires and the ultra rich.
No one deserves to live under the poverty line.
Join The Greens in our call for the government to increase income support to at least $88 a day.
Learn more:
Policy: No Poverty in a Wealthy Country