The Australian Greens are pushing for an inquiry into the adequacy of welfare payments.
Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert will refer the issue to the Senate Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for inquiry, when the Senate resumes in mid June.
She wants the inquiry to examine whether the jobseeker system helps or hinders people's abilities to overcome barriers to employment.
'The income support system was designed for a different labour market and no longer meets the needs of the unemployed or underemployed,' she said.
Senator Siewert said the 'welfare to work' mentality of recent governments has 'led to reforms based on the flawed assumption that unemployed people simply have a poor attitude towards work.'
'This is old fashioned thinking that does not take into account the massive gaps in skills and education faced by many unemployed people,' she said.
The Greens, welfare organisations and business groups have campaigned for the Newstart Allowance to be lifted by $50 per week to help people falling below the poverty line.
Currently, a single person gets $244 a week under Newstart.
In April, Senator Siewert found it tough trying to survive on $17 a day, when she spent a week walking in the shoes of the unemployed.
This is about one-fifth of what the average single person under 35 spends a day.
'How can you look for work when you can't afford a train ticket, a haircut or a telephone?' she said.
'At the moment people are being let down by the system and in many cases are being forced into poverty and debt.'


http://greens-win.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/greens-call-for-welfare-inquiry.html

Welfare inquiry? Greens needs more funding for their campaign then?

No harm what so ever in holding an inquiry.  As far as lifting money for those people that are unemployed, long, long, long overdue.  Increase the dole $50 a week, and help lift people out of poverty.    ;)

she should be doing more about finding JOBS for these people.. its thanks to the greens.. everything is shutting down..

they complain about everything then when it closes and those that depended on it.. they expect whats left of the workforce to kepp them...'

how about all the green pollies take a pay cut to pay for it.

that would be a nice warm fuzzy feeling to start with

Yes more should be done to create jobs, that is so.  In the mean time though, for those that are unemployed.  A fair and just increase of $50 a week, to help people that are surviving in poverty.   ;)

cods wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 8:16am:

she should be doing more about finding JOBS for these people.. its thanks to the greens.. everything is shutting down.. they complain about everything then when it closes and those that depended on it.. they expect whats left of the workforce to kepp them...' how about all the green pollies take a pay cut to pay for it. that would be a nice warm fuzzy feeling to start with

I'm sure if there were jobs out there these people could find their own jobs.

It's easy for people who don't work to say go and get a job.

We have lost 130,000 jobs in manufacturing since 2008.

The CEO of Mining Australia said they get inundated with resumes from unskilled workers, we don't need them, what we need is skilled engineers and other skilled workers that we don't have.

We have to be realistic, we are coming into a recession/depression and unemployment will increase dramatically in the next decade.

The government must increase benefits to meet the needs of the people.

An inquiry is a good start.

The Greens are forward thinking and sensible.

The unemployed don't NEED yet another 'inquiry', they need a RAISE in REAL terms.

And a substantial one, at that.

But, as usual, nothing will come of this.

It NEVER does.

The nay-sayers NEED to be told 'Sorry, your input is neither wanted nor
necessary. Nor will it be taken into account''.

Kat wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 9:34am:

The unemployed don't NEED yet another 'inquiry', they need a RAISE in REAL terms. And a substantial one, at that. But, as usual, nothing will come of this. It NEVER does. The nay-sayers NEED to be told 'Sorry, your input is neither wanted nor necessary. Nor will it be taken into account''.

It is good hypothetically.
But not in the system under which our society currently operates.
People must starve.

Won't we all get jobs when the Green revolution starts?

the East is going down hill at a terrific rate.. yet all we hear about is mining...

what are they doing for the Eastern States..that dont have mining as the first and foremost industry?

the greens are doing their level best to get rid of whats left of the coal industry..

no wonder they want to up the unemployment benefit..

Quote:

Senator Siewert said the 'welfare to work' mentality of recent governments has 'led to reforms based on the flawed assumption that unemployed people simply have a poor attitude towards work.' 'This is old fashioned thinking that does not take into account the massive gaps in skills and education faced by many unemployed people,' she said.

It also does not take into account Peter Reith and John Howard....may they forever roast hung by their gonads over the fire pits of hell.

cods wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 8:16am:

she should be doing more about finding JOBS for these people.. its thanks to the greens.. everything is shutting down.. they complain about everything then when it closes and those that depended on it.. they expect whats left of the workforce to kepp them...' how about all the green pollies take a pay cut to pay for it. that would be a nice warm fuzzy feeling to start with

Stop lying to people

Why doesn't the Government get rid of the liars, the spin doctors and the maggot propagandists on the ABC 24 channel?

Prevailing wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 7:21pm:

Why doesn't the Government get rid of the liars, the spin doctors and the maggot propagandists on the ABC 24 channel?

Um, probably because they are nothing of the kind.

Kat wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 7:38pm:

Prevailing wrote on May 31st, 2012 at 7:21pm: Why doesn't the Government get rid of the liars, the spin doctors and the maggot propagandists on the ABC 24 channel? Um, probably because they are nothing of the kind.

Peter Reith by any test is a worthless lowlife lying Maggot and thats just off the top of my head...

Prevailing wrote on May 31^st, 2012 at 7:21pm:

Why doesn't the Government get rid of the liars, the spin doctors and the maggot propagandists on the ABC 24 channel?

what would we do without the liars and maggots like yourself if that was the case??..

every event has their share of them.. we have to put up with you after all..

and just about everything you have to say is disgusting

Can the greens up the terms of reference so they can find out how many of their followers are on welfare. Then tell them to "get a job" you lazy azz's.

Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::)

wrote on Jun 1^st, 2012 at 7:30am:

Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::)

Look where? How is that terms of reference going?

wrote on Jun 1^st, 2012 at 7:30am:

Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::)

No surprise, it's ALL they've got...to abuse the unemployed.

No ideas, no solutions, no sense of fair-play. Just abuse.

It says FAR more about THEM than it does about the unemployed.

Kat wrote on Jun 1^st, 2012 at 11:50am:

wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 7:30am: Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::) No surprise, it's ALL they've got...to abuse the unemployed. No ideas, no solutions, no sense of fair-play. Just abuse. It says FAR more about THEM than it does about the unemployed.

Getting a job is not abuse, its a solution.

BlOoDy RiPpEr wrote on Jun 1^st, 2012 at 11:53am:

Kat wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 11:50am: wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 7:30am: Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::) No surprise, it's ALL they've got...to abuse the unemployed. No ideas, no solutions, no sense of fair-play. Just abuse. It says FAR more about THEM than it does about the unemployed. Getting a job is not abuse, its a solution.

That depends on the motive behind the comment.

And whether jobs are actually available.

Here's a hint....they're NOT.

Kat wrote on Jun 1^st, 2012 at 12:33pm:

BlOoDy RiPpEr wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 11:53am: Kat wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 11:50am: wrote on Jun 1st, 2012 at 7:30am: Look, the get a job crowd have come out.    ::) No surprise, it's ALL they've got...to abuse the unemployed. No ideas, no solutions, no sense of fair-play. Just abuse. It says FAR more about THEM than it does about the unemployed. Getting a job is not abuse, its a solution. That depends on the motive behind the comment. And whether jobs are actually available. Here's a hint....they're NOT.

I think it would be good to see more figures. Obviously there cant be as many jobs as their are enquirers of those jobs. Otherwise employment would be down a hell of alot more than they are.

There is a bit of collateral damage from the lazy, the greens followers, the beach bums, that go onto legitimate people.

I would like to see an unemployment figure against a jobs figure.

For example, there were 400,000 people looking for jobs. There were 100,000 jobs available.

That gives you a little extra incite into whats going on.