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No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost (Read 1798 times)
whiteknight
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No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Jul 22nd, 2019 at 5:59am
 
No surplus sacrifice for dole boost   Sad

Jul 22, 2019

The federal government has accused Labor of being trapped in a welfare mentality over its calls to increase Newstart, a move Treasury has forecast will cost $12.5 billion over the four-year forward estimates and $39 billion over a decade.

Facing growing calls to boost the unemployment payment by as much as $75 a week, the government has gone on the offensive, accusing Labor putting welfare before aspiration.

Michaela Cash says the Coalition's priority is getting people into work.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash backed her claim by citing Labor's history of fighting measures to move people from welfare to work, going back to the introduction of work-for-the-dole by the Howard government.

"Our focus will always be to get people off welfare and into work. Taxpayers expect nothing less. The Morrison government strongly believes that the best form of welfare is a job," she said.

"Labor is indifferent about getting people off welfare.


"Every Labor member talking about Newstart is a member not talking about opportunities to get people into employment. The Australian people know where Labor’s priorities lie.

"We are a nation defined by our workers and our aspiration, not our welfare system and apathy.

"We will never shirk our responsibility to be the architects of opportunity."
Calls to increase Newstart

Newstart is expected to be a recurrent theme as Parliament resumes today for a fortnight. The government will be using the session to test Labor's resolve on bills ranging from drought funding to keeping foreign fighters from returning, to industrial relations via a bill to facilitate the deregistration of unions and officials.

On Newstart, Labor has not nominated a dollar increase, just that it should be boosted following a review.

The Greens and the welfare lobby are among those calling for $75 a week.

Others demanding an increase to Newstart, which had its last above-inflation boost in 1994, include the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, the ACTU, Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce and National Seniors Australia.   Smiley 

The seniors group has become engaged as a consequence of growing unemployment among older people of working age, some of whom, especially women, are destitute. There are 173,196 people aged over 55 on Newstart.

The government is ideologically opposed to a real increase in Newstart and it argues that most recipients of the payment – currently $277 a week – are on other welfare payments as well.

It argues Newstart is designed to help find work and is not meant to be a living allowance, like the aged pension.

And it is also guarding its promise to return the budget to surplus in 2019-20. On Friday, Ministers Matt Canavan and Mathias Cormann both cited the surplus as a priority.

The budget forecast a surplus of $7.1 billion this financial year. The proposed $75 a week increase to begin on September 20 this year, would wipe out more than half of that forecast surplus according to the Treasury numbers.

One government source said even if it had $3.5 billion a year extra at its disposal, "there are a whole range of other things you would do'' rather than increase Newstart.
'The numbers speak for themselves'

Shadow employment minister Brendan O'Connor dismissed her claims.

"Senator Cash once again shows an inability to stand in the shoes of those that are struggling to keep their head above water," he said.   Sad

"With business and union peak bodies, along with the welfare sector, unified in their support for a review of Newstart this government shows a callous disregard for our most vulnerable. "

The Greens will move a motion in the Senate this week calling for the $75 increase.

Senator Cash said ever since Work for the Dole, Labor had fought programs designed to get the unemployed back into work.

"When you look at all of our employment programs from Jobactive, to Work for the Dole, to ParentsNext and Youth Jobs PaTH: they have all been opposed or heavily criticised by Labor,'' she said.

"But they are all successful programs with the ultimate aim of getting people off welfare. The numbers speak for themselves."

This month, the government will begin what Senator Cash said is "the biggest overhaul of our employment services system in a generation''.

That is the digitalisation of unemployment services enabling the unemployed "to self-service with a new digital platform'' to better match them to vacancies and allow access the training.

"Importantly, job seekers will still be able to speak to someone if they require advice, guidance or technical support,'' Senator Cash said.

"Savings from digital servicing will be reinvested in the system to provide a more intensive, targeted and tailored face-to-face service for those who need extra help in addressing their barriers to finding a job.''

Last week, KPMG argued the government could increase Newstart and protect its surplus.

"The 2018-19 budget outcome is now going to be close to balance, which represents around $4 billion of additional tax receipts not anticipated at the time of the April budget,'' it said of the extra revenue from surge in the iron ore price.

"Of course, raising Newstart would be a permanent, not temporary, cost to the budget. 
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whiteknight
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #1 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:06am
 
But with the budget forward estimates for the next four years anticipating surpluses of around $7 billion in FY20, increasing to $11 billion, $17 billion and $9 billion in the outer years, Australia can afford it for the foreseeable future."   ( Financial Review 22 July 2019.)
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Grappler Truth Teller Feller
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #2 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:26am
 
This 'surplus' is a guess, a creek that might contain a little gold dust mixed in with the bulldust, that will never pan out....

Unemployment Benefits is an untapped gold mine of talent and ability and work .....a golden opportunity to develop the nation instead of enhancing its profiteers and carpet baggers....
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #3 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:28am
 
whiteknight wrote on Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:06am:
But with the budget forward estimates for the next four years anticipating surpluses of around $7 billion in FY20, increasing to $11 billion, $17 billion and $9 billion in the outer years, Australia can afford it for the foreseeable future."   ( Financial Review 22 July 2019.)                                                                                                                        


...

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“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
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whiteknight
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #4 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:29am
 
The Greens and the welfare lobby are among those calling for $75 a week.

Others demanding an increase to Newstart, which had its last above-inflation boost in 1994, include the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, the ACTU, Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce and National Seniors Australia.   Smiley
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #5 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:34am
 
whiteknight wrote on Jul 22nd, 2019 at 6:29am:
The Greens and the welfare lobby are among those calling for $75 a week.

Others demanding an increase to Newstart, which had its last above-inflation boost in 1994, include the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, the ACTU, Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce and National Seniors Australia.   Smiley


So under this 'government' the unemployed will continue to starve quietly and unannounced, will develop future health and economic problems, will remain a lifetime burden on social security, may well resort to crime, and will most certainly develop a resentment against this nation that will create all kinds of anger and other problems.. fights, one-hit killings, murders, bashings will rise and many included will feel justified in becoming burdens on a society that rejects and condemns them  .... the alternative to a solid Social Security network is the ages-old development of a criminal underworld and mean streets.

On top of that, even the business council knows that if those people have more money, it will flow through the gates of businesses, and will help them more than it does the social security recipients........

On a sidenote, this is the kind of madness thinking that I was talking about in that other strand on the head cutter sheila.... the kind that those who far too often rise to the top have in droves.... solidified by a privileged upbringing and often privileged work environment for life, and typified by an utter lack of remorse or compassion or empathy, and accompanied with an amazing sense of personal entitlement and personal superiority ....these c*nts are supposed to be working for this nation as a whole.... not make of this nation a hole.... and these are the kind of c*nts we elect .........

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“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
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Bam
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #6 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 11:17am
 
Quote:
[The government] argues Newstart is designed to help find work and is not meant to be a living allowance, like the aged pension.

Employers are not meant to discriminate against older Australians when hiring, yet age discrimination by employers is rampant. Unemployed workers over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort of long-term unemployed.

If the government was serious about getting unemployed older workers into work, it would put maximum pressure onto employers. No more subsidies. They're not working. Start beating employers with punitive measures and keep applying more punitive pressure on employers until employers stop their illegal discrimination.
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Sir Spot of Borg
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #7 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 11:24am
 
The idea isnt to get ppl into PAID work though. Its just the WFD slavery.

Why dont they just call it a job and pay properly?

Spot
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #8 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 12:44pm
 
There is no surplus - it's a fantasy...
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #9 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 2:17pm
 
Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jul 22nd, 2019 at 11:24am:
The idea isnt to get ppl into PAID work though. Its just the WFD slavery.

Why dont they just call it a job and pay properly?

Spot


man , if i was unemployed , i'd go insane if they didnt offer me a WFD spot.
laziness leads to craziness.

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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #10 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:18pm
 
When will the Govt arrange for people on Newstart many who are over 50 to work for UBER ?
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Sir Spot of Borg
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #11 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:21pm
 
juliar wrote on Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:18pm:
When will the Govt arrange for people on Newstart many who are over 50 to work for UBER ?


What if they cant drive? I cant drive because of my eyes. .  . . a lot of ppl cant drive

Spot
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #12 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:27pm
 
Well you can't win 'em all.

Maybe a subsidy to business to employ older people on Newstart as apparently a lot of the people on NewStart are over 50.
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Sir Spot of Borg
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #13 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:31pm
 
juliar wrote on Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:27pm:
Well you can't win 'em all.

Maybe a subsidy to business to employ older people on Newstart as apparently a lot of the people on NewStart are over 50.


Wow! Thats a good idea

Spot
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Re: No Surplus Sacrifice For Dole Boost
Reply #14 - Jul 22nd, 2019 at 3:39pm
 
I'd reckon ScoMo is wary of being conned into mimicking Labor and dishing out money everywhere.

But there is a possibility ScoMo is keeping his powder dry and may have something up his sleeve where he will do a deal to get something else through.

He has no urgency as he will be there for the next 20 years.

Maybe a reduction in power prices is in the offing ?  Perhaps after the BUDGET is announced ?





Coalition puts surplus before Newstart rise
Phillip Coorey Political Editor Jul 19, 2019 — 2.57pm

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has openly advocated an above-inflation increase to the Newstart payment but the government is holding firm, saying bringing the budget back to surplus is the priority.

With the cost of a meaningful increase to the unemployment payment of $75 a week estimated at about $3 billion a year, big four consulting firm KPMG, said a rise would be affordable "for the forseeable future''.

It argued that any budgetary impact would be offset eventually by the economic stimulus.

"The key here is that Newstart recipients are amongst the poorest people in society so they spend, rather than save, almost all they receive,'' said KPMG chief economist Brendan Rynne.

"So while payments higher up the scale have more debatable value in terms of economic stimulus, there is no question that this policy will act as an effective fiscal stimulus by boosting the consumption side of the economy."

Labor, the Greens, the Australian Council of Social Services, the ACTU and the Business Council of Australia are among those who believe the payment, which is indexed to inflation twice a year, needs a bigger boost.

Labor went to the election promising to review the payment with the aim of increasing it. It maintains this view but has not nominated a number.

"It should be increased, that's a fact. It's not enough to live on,'' Mr Albanese said on Friday.

"The first priority should be to get people into a job, but people shouldn't be under the circumstance where they can't afford to live and the government needs to look at this.''

Average earnings
The welfare lobby want a $75 a-week-rise to the current $277.85-a-week payment.

KPMG says an $83-a-week increase would lift the payment to about $360, which is 30 per cent of average weekly earnings of $1180.

Newstart was last 30 per cent of average weekly earnings in 1994 and an $83 increase would match the increase in wage inflation since then.

The government is refusing to budge, arguing Newstart is not the same as a pension.

"Newstart is an allowance, not a pension,'' Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said.

"The allowance of Newstart, given that two-thirds of people come off Newstart within 12 months, the whole idea is to get people into work."

The government is also protecting its promise to return the budget to surplus this year.


'Keep things affordable'
"We've got to get that budget back into surplus. This is a surplus year,'' said Resources Minister Matt Canavan.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said "these are matters of making sure that we keep things affordable in the broader budget context''.

Mr Rynne argued the government could do both.

"The 2018-19 budget outcome is now going to be close to balance, which represents around $4 billion of additional tax receipts not anticipated at the time of the April budget,'' he said of the extra revenue from surge in the iron ore price.

"Of course, raising Newstart would be a permanent, not temporary, cost to the budget. But with the budget forward estimates for the next four years anticipating surpluses of around $7 billion in FY20, increasing to $11 billion, $17 billion and $9 billion in the outer years, Australia can afford it for the foreseeable future."

https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/coalition-puts-surplus-before-newstar...
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