WHO: ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie and other representatives from Australia’s community welfare sector

WHEN: 3.30pm Thursday November 29, 2012

WHERE: Senate Courtyard, Parliament House, Canberra

The Australian Council of Social Service will lead the community sector response to a Senate Inquiry report into the adequacy of income support payments, due to be tabled in parliament tomorrow (November 29, 2012).

ACOSS has been calling for an urgent $50 a week increase in the Newstart payment, which has not been increased in real terms for nearly 20 years. Leading charities and other frontline organisations provided overwhelming evidence to the Inquiry that the low payment of $35 a day is simply not enough for people to live on and is driving people into poverty.

The community sector expects the Senate Committee report to reflect this irrefutable evidence presented in more than 70 submissions and recommend that allowance payments such as Newstart be raised. And groups will be looking for the government to act to correct this 20 year injustice, and finally lift allowance payments to a descent liveable level.

Media Contact:

Fernando de Freitas at ACOSS – 0419 626 155