ACOSS Reports & Submissions
Employment & Income Support
January 2012
In this submission, ACOSS outlines policy recommendations for consideration by the Federal Government in its 2012-13 Budget. The submission aims to resolve the tension between the Govern-ment’s commitment to restore the Budget to surplus from 2012-13 and the urgency of social and economic needs not yet met, of key social and economic reforms not yet completed.
Our priority for the 2012-13 Federal Budget remains to ensure that no person is excluded from the benefits of economic growth and prosperity and from the opportunity to fully participate in society. Some of the policy building blocks to meet this goal have been laid, including the commitment to introduce a National Disability Insurance Scheme, the emerging policy focus on employment participation for people excluded from the labour market, and last year’s mental health reform package.
June 2011
Following the Federal Budget, ACOSS wrote to all Federal MPs and senators raising our concerns about Budget cuts to social security payments for sole parents, people with disabilities and young unemployed people. The letter is attached. ACOSS also welcomed Budget decision to improve the job prospects of unemployed people by introducing wage subsidies for long term unemployed people, easing income tests, and expanding intensive employment and support programs in disadvantaged regions. However we don't believe it is necessary to cut people's payments to improve their employment prospects and have lobbied to have the cuts reversed, including visits to federal MPs and Senators on 23 June.
June 2011
ACOSS' submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee on the Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 recommends that:
- the delay of access to the Disability Support Pension while applicants participate in a 'program of support be opposed;
- the provisions that freeze the Family Tax Benefit supplements be opposed; and
- the provisions that freeze various family payment income thresholds be supported.
May 2011
As the peak national organisation of the community sector and advocate for low income and disadvantaged people, ACOSS has a long standing interest in minimum wages. We have regularly made submissions on minimum wage fixation to industrial tribunals since the mid 1990s.
May 2011
This paper aims to move beyond the myths and stereotypes to take a closer look at who these two million people are and why it is that many have not found paid work, despite falling unemployment levels.
April 2011
Social security legislation amendment (job seeker compliance) Bill 2011
The Bill, if passed, would bring forward penalties for unemployed people who do not attend appointments with Centrelink or employment service providers. Instead of warning a jobseeker on the first occasion they fail to attend an appointment and rescheduling the appointment, Centrelink will suspend their income support until they make contact and agree to attend a rescheduled appointment.
April 2011
Under proposed legislation, the compliance system will be amended to bring forward penalties for unemployed people who do attend appointments with Centrelink or employment service providers. If passed, this Bill will substantially increase the number of times that unemployed people are penalised or have their payments suspended for not attending appointments.
This submission gives our assessment of the proposed changes to the compliance system. ACOSS does not believe a strong enough case has been made for these changes, and recommends that the Bill be opposed.
February 2011
ACOSS welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission on the design of the second round of Job Services Australia from 2012-15.
Effective employment services are a foundation stone of social inclusion policies. Without them, many people in Australia would languish on income support for prolonged periods because they are unable to secure a paid job despite their best efforts.
August 2010
ACOSS' Election Platform outlines key priorities to build a fair Australia which ensures people on low incomes are not excluded because of social or economic disadvantage. We are calling for commitments from our political leaders on issues including: Work and income support; Affordable Housing; Oral health; Indigenous; Tax; Climate change; and measures to Strengthen the Community Sector.
July 2010
The new job seeker compliance system which started in July 2009 is more flexible than the old 'three strikes and you're out' system but there's still too much punishment and too little help for unemployed people, especially young people and Indigenous people.
This submission gives our assessment of the new activity test compliance and penalty regime for recipients of Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment and recommendations to improve it.
