2015-11-30
The Australian Greens have tabled a dissenting report reaffirming their opposition to the Social Security bill that if passed will force young people to wait for income support for five weeks at a time.
“It beggars belief that the Government is still trying to hold young people off income support in the hopes it will force them into jobs that aren’t there”, said Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.
“Five weeks without an income will just entrench poverty, this is not a sensible way to move people into meaningful employment.
“The community and the Senate have repeatedly opposed the ideology behind this serially revised measure: whether it is for six months or five weeks, holding people off income support is bad policy.
“A range of submitters pointed out that youth unemployment is a significant structural problem. It is cruel of the Government to pursue this legislation when there isn't enough work for young people.
“The measures in this bill undermine the efforts of jobseekers by subjecting them to measures that make it impossible to maintain a basic standard of living, including stable housing, which is critical in order to stay attached to the labour market.
“The added budget measure in this legislation that could continue to hold young people off income support under ‘Rapid Activation’ shows the Government has not learnt its lesson.
“The Australian Greens recommend that the Bill not be passed”.