The Federal Government must urgently lift income support payments as cost of living pressures are expected to take centre stage in the next budget and 2025 federal election.
ACOSS urges the Federal Government to take stronger action to support people on low incomes and address the hardship facing communities across the country, warning the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) offers a dismal outlook for those struggling the most.
ACOSS statement on violence, hate crimes and discrimination across communities
Acts of violence, hate and discrimination are abhorrent and have no place in our society. These acts are unequivocally condemned. Every day, individuals, families, and communities from diverse backgrounds are being targeted and exposed to hate crimes and slurs. ACOSS stands in solidarity with all communities affected.
Civil society leaders across Australia are working hard to provide clear advice to political leaders on the action needed to strengthen social cohesion and tackle racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of hatred and social exclusion. That advice must be urgently actioned.
ACOSS is calling on the Federal Government to substantially boost income support payments after it announced small increases due to routine indexation.
Some income support payments including Youth Allowance and Austudy are adjusted for inflation on January 1 each year. Youth Allowance for a single person is only going up by $1.70 a day.
Long-term unemployment rising while entry level jobs decline: New report
The report, Faces of unemployment 2024, found that since interest rates began to rise in mid-2022, employment at the lowest skill level has lagged, increasing only 1.9% compared with 7.8% overall. Job vacancies for that skill level have dropped by 39% compared to a 30% decline overall.