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Inquiry Report – Adequacy of Newstart and related payments

May 20, 2020

On 25 July 2019, the Senate referred an inquiry into the adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report.

The committee tabled its report of the inquiry in the Senate on 30 April 2020. The report is available here.

Community Industry Group worked with members and other stakeholders to research and write a submission, and we are pleased to note that many of our assertions and recommendations have been included in the report.

The Report includes 27 Recommendations, most of which are for further areas of Inquiry or review.

Recommendation 2 perhaps sums up the findings best: The committee recommends the Australian Government immediately undertake a review of the income support system to ensure that all eligible income support recipients do not live in poverty.