Support ACOSS in developing sound policy and undertake effective advocacy on the needs of people affected by poverty, disadvantage and inequality, and to build a strong and sustainable community sector.
May 2011
This paper aims to move beyond the myths and stereotypes to take a closer look at who these two million people are and why it is that many have not found paid work, despite falling unemployment levels.
May 2011
ACOSS has argued for many years that family payments for teenagers aged 16 years and over are too low to enable low-income families to meet the rising cost of raising older children. ACOSS therefore supports the Government's intention to raise the Family Tax Benefit for older teenagers, but is concerned some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young Australians will miss out on proposed increases. The inflexibility of current participation requirements applied to Family Tax Benefit recipients means that up to 15,000 early school leavers may be deprived of a much needed increase in family assistance.
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April 2011
Social security legislation amendment (job seeker compliance) Bill 2011
The Bill, if passed, would bring forward penalties for unemployed people who do not attend appointments with Centrelink or employment service providers. Instead of warning a jobseeker on the first occasion they fail to attend an appointment and rescheduling the appointment, Centrelink will suspend their income support until they make contact and agree to attend a rescheduled appointment.
April 2011
Under proposed legislation, the compliance system will be amended to bring forward penalties for unemployed people who do attend appointments with Centrelink or employment service providers. If passed, this Bill will substantially increase the number of times that unemployed people are penalised or have their payments suspended for not attending appointments.
This submission gives our assessment of the proposed changes to the compliance system. ACOSS does not believe a strong enough case has been made for these changes, and recommends that the Bill be opposed.
The following is our brief submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee inquiry into this Bill. In summary, ACOSS recommends that:
• Schedule 3, which would delay access to the Disability Support Pension while applicants participate in a ‘program of support' be opposed;
• The provisions of Schedule 2 that freeze the Family Tax Benefit supplements be opposed;
• The provisions of Schedule 2 that freeze various family payment income thresholds be supported.