Rudd and Macklin's food stamp mentality to cost Australian taxpayers over $95m annually

The desire of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin to act as moral policemen walking the social security beat means that the new measures introduced into federal parliament yesterday will cost taxpayers an estimated $95.7M annually by the time income management is fully rolled out across Australia.

This Über Labor food stamp mentality (beloved by those in the Liberal Party-Nationals coalition as well) is likely to cause untold hardship for those who fall under the provisions outlined in SOCIAL SECURITY AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (WELFARE REFORM AND REINSTATEMENT OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT) BILL 2009 and Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (2009 Measures) Bill 2009 when these begin to come into effect after 1 July 2010.

Although these government bills target low-income families, youth and the long-term unemployed, they also apply to all categories of pensions (including aged, disability and veterans) and apply to individual pensioners if a Centrelink social worker or Dept of Veterans' Affairs decides that a person meets the criteria for income management.

The Greens appear to be the only voice in Federal Parliament which is going to speak out against these bills, Senator Rachel Siewert calling income management measure discriminatory and paternalistic.

PDF downloads:

Minister's Explanatory Memorandum

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of Racial Discrimination Act) Bill 2009

Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (2009 Measures) Bill 2009