Anglicare Australia is calling on the Federal Government to urgently raise the rate of JobSeeker and other Centrelink payments, following the latest report from the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee (EIAC).
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said the report highlights the risks of entering a downturn with an inadequate safety net.
“With unemployment expected to rise, more Australians will be pushed onto JobSeeker at the worst possible time,” Ms Chambers said.
“Right now, these payments don’t even cover the basics. People are being forced to skip meals, delay medical care, and go without essentials just to get by. That is the reality of living on JobSeeker. As more people rely on these payments, more people will be pushed into poverty.”
Ms Chambers said the EIAC report makes clear that raising the rate is the most urgent step the Government can take.
“This is the moment to lift these payments before more people have to live on them,” she said.
“We know that people can spend years on these payments, and we are already being that this economic crisis could last for years. Leaving payments so low means locking people into long-term poverty.
“Our polling shows a clear majority of Australians support using Budget savings to raise Centrelink payments, rather than leaving people below the poverty line.
“The Government has a choice in this Budget. It can lift people out of poverty, or leave them behind.
“We must raise the rate of JobSeeker. Without action, more Australians will be pushed deeper into hardship.”