JobSeeker cuts would mean extreme hardship for 1.6 million
A survey of people on JobSeeker released on Friday by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) lays bare the grim outlook for people without paid work in this recession.
The Federal Government is planning to cut the Coronavirus Supplement on 25 September 25, reducing incomes of people on JobSeeker by $300 per fortnight.
The Government has said it may then fully remove the Supplement at Christmas time, taking people without paid work back to just $40 a day – the old Newstart rate.
These cuts will affect 2.2 million people receiving the Coronavirus Supplement, including 1.6 million on JobSeeker.
ACOSS chief executive Dr Cassandra Goldie said: “It is heartbreaking to read the responses to this survey as people spell out the grim reality they face if the first cut goes ahead in just two weeks.”
The survey of 634 people conducted in August finds that if the government goes ahead with the $300 per fortnight cut on September 25:
- 8 in 10 people said they will definitely have to skip meals and reduce how much fresh fruit and vegetables they buy
- 4 in 10 people on JobSeeker will have less than $14 a day, after paying their rent
- Over half (53 per cent) said the cut will make it much harder to pay their rent, that they will need to forego essentials like food, medicine, and other expenses
- close to half (47 per cent) said they will likely have to skip medicines or ration their doses, and that specialist services will be hard to pay for
- more than half (56 per cent) said it would become much harder to pay bills, that they would likely have to forego some essentials, and would struggle to pay their bills on time.
Are the government’s cuts to coronavirus assistance too harsh? Should they be trying to stimulate spending in a recession in stead of making cuts to welfare?
What is wrong with these people going to do some fruit and vegetable harvesting ?