29

th
June 2014
Welfare Review continues ideological campaign against social security
The Australian Greens said today the Government is likely to use the McClure Welfare
evie! to continue their ideolo"ical cam#ai"n a"ainst income su##ort and social security
usin" the e$cuse of sim#lification to %ustify cuts&
'( am dee#ly concerned that the Government are "oin" to use this re#ort to cut )ack on social
security and income su##ort* %ust as they have done in the +ederal )ud"et* a move that !ill
increase ine,uality across the community' -enator achel -ie!ert* Australian Greens
s#okes#erson on family and community services said today&
'We sa! the )ud"et take a #unitive a##roach to many #eo#le* includin" dro##in" youn" %o)
seekers off income su##ort for more than si$ months at a time& This Government has form
and (.m totally unconvinced that they are ca#a)le of develo#in" a social security system that
is fair and su##orts the most vulnera)le&
'What is missin" from this revie! is fairness* !hich is not one of the four #illars on !hich
the revie! is )ased& +airness should )e a #art of a stron" social security system that #rovides
#eo#le !ith the su##ort they need&
'There area num)er of #ro#osals in this revie! that !ill have an im#act on our most
vulnera)le* includin" #eo#le !ith disa)ility and carers& The re#ort lacks an understandin"
a)out #eo#les. lives and their needs !hen it comes to em#loyment* %o) services and income
su##ort&
'The first McClure revie!* under the /o!ard Government* led to cuts to sin"le #arents and
unfair #olicies like Welfare to Work& Tony A))ott is likely to use this ne! revie! in the same
!ay&
'0unitive a##roaches like income mana"ement* look set to )e ram#ed u# )y the Government*
des#ite the lack of evidence to su##ort it&
'(ncome mana"ement is e$#ensive* #unitive and )uilds de#endence* rather than em#o!erin"
#eo#le and #rovidin" them the #latform they need to live their lives* raise a family and look
for !ork&
'The Greens !ill closely e$amine this revie! and call on the Government to allo! for more
than a short* si$ !eek #u)lic consultation #rocess& (f the Minister is "enuine a)out !antin"
lon" term reform* this !hole #rocess needs to )e o#en to #ro#er consultation* de)ate and
discussion*' -enator -ie!ert concluded&