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

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.   

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.   

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''.

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

Quote:


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.

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

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

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