2017-05-09
It appears that once again the Government will be picking on the most vulnerable members of our community in the Budget, the Australian Greens said today.
“Introducing a demerit system for Australians who are accessing the social safety net and struggle to meet the harsh requirements for help is just another cruel swipe at people in the community who are vulnerable.
“How audacious that whilst announcing a major act of harsh austerity, Treasurer Scott Morrison has tried to describe this year’s budget as ‘fair’. Please stop pretending you’re on the community’s side, Treasurer, you’re picking on the most vulnerable.
“People out there in the community are doing it really tough and are struggling, now the Government wants to make it tougher for those people because it will appeal to his base. When is he going to stop picking on our nation’s poorest?
“When people are struggling with personal life barriers, they need our support, not the opposite.
“The jobs just aren’t there, yet the Government pretends they are. We already have some of harshest requirements in the OECD to receive income support payments, to say otherwise is farcical.
“We need to move away from this ‘dole bludger’ myth, people accessing the social safety net are carers, people with disability, job seekers, students and young families. We need to be looking after them.
“We will be looking at the detail of these measures as it comes available but are deeply concerned about another act of austerity on our most vulnerable”.