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Discussion Group – Adequacy of Newstart and related payments

September 3, 2019

The Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs has announced an Inquiry into the Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia. Details of the Inquiry, including the Terms of Reference are available here.

Many of the clients and community members seeking supports from local community service organisations are living on payments such as Newstart and Youthstart. These payments are inadequate to help people get through tough times and into suitable employment.

Our members report increasing levels of demand for supports for basic needs such as food and housing, and increasing levels of desperation in those people who are trying to survive on income which, by definition, puts them under the poverty line. The rate of Newstart has not been increased for 25 years, while the cost of living, especially housing and energy costs, has gone through the roof.

Community Industry Group is seeking our members’ input into a submission to the Inquiry. Please join us for a discussion group from 1:30pm to 3:30pm on Monday 9 September 2019 at our office 1/106B Industrial Rd, Oak Flats. Please notify us of your attendance at info@cigroup.org.au.

We welcome case studies and stories about how the people you work with are surviving on these payments. Please de-identify any case studies and send to info@cigroup.org.au.

We also encourage you to make a submission to the Inquiry. Together, we can ‘Raise the Rate’.