For the
second time in three months the UN Special
Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights has written to the Turnbull Coalition Government
concerning its welfare policies.
Australian-born Professor
Alston has been Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights since
June 2014.
The Commonwealth of Australia was elected on
16 October 2017 as a member of the UN Human Rights Council 2018-2020.
So the
following news item is more than a little embarrassing with what it reveals about government policies.
ABC Radio RN
Breakfast, 1
February 2018:
A top UN official has
delivered a scathing assessment of Australia's welfare policies describing them
as 'punitive' and harmful to women.
Australian Philip Alston
is the UN's Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty. He accuses the government of
pursuing policies that 'stigmatise' and 'marginalise' poorer sections of
society.
In a letter sent to the
government this week, Philip raised concerns about the planned expansion of
cashless welfare cards, and their impact on indigenous communities.
The
first letter
dated 17 October 2017 addressed the Social Services Legislation Amendment
Act 2017 (Cth) (No. 33 of 2017) and concerns that it may have a negative impact
on the human rights of persons living in poverty, particularly single parents
and their children, as well as expressing concerns about proposed
drug testing of young people on unemployment benefits.
It would appear
that the Turnbull Government’s welfare reforms make nonsense of Australia’s
voluntary undertakings lodged with the United Nations on 14 July 2014
as part of its candidature for a vacancy on the UN Human Rights
Council.
