The
Guardian,
7 July 2019:
The
Morrison government says it remains committed to a plan criticised as
“brutal” to dock the welfare of those who repeatedly fail to pay
state fines, and may still proceed with cuts to student payments
claimed by the unemployed, the disabled and sole parents.
The
Coalition introduced a number of welfare measures in 2017 which drew
the ire of social service groups but ultimately never came into
effect because the government failed to win the support of the Senate
or the states and territories.
Guardian
Australia reported this month that internal documents suggested the
contentious plan to drug test welfare recipients was not a priority,
but the government has insisted it remains on its agenda.
Other
welfare proposals from the last parliament included about $90m in
cuts to student payments, legislation to automatically deduct rent
from welfare recipients living in social housing, which critics said
could put family violence survivors at risk, and a plan to impose the
“demerit point” compliance scheme on those doing the remote
work-for-the-dole program, which has seen payment suspensions
surge…...
But
the spokesman did confirm the government still intended to create the
scheme to automatically dock 15% of payments for those who have
unpaid fines…...
“The
Encouraging Lawful Behaviour of Income Support Recipients proposal
remains government policy and requires legislative approval,”
Ruston’s spokesman said…..
Labor
had opposed the cuts to the $208-a-year pensioner education
supplement and the $32.20-a week education entry payment, which are
intended to help low-income people with the cost of study.
The
changes would save the budget $95m over five years, but the
opposition said the policy would hurt people with disability, carers,
sole parents and the unemployed.
The
Australian Council of Social Service has previously lashed the plan
to dock welfare payments from people with court-ordered state fines
as “particularly brutal”.
The
proposal would automatically dock 15% of an income support payment,
but critics say it will push vulnerable people into homelessness.
Welfare
groups including the Australian Unemployed Workers Union have also
expressed grave concerns about a plan announced last year to link
Newstart recipients to farm work using the national database.
The
unemployed would face losing their welfare payments for four weeks if
they turned down what the government described as a “suitable job
without reasonable excuse”.
The
department of employment confirmed the policy would begin in July
next year.
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