March 2024
The Letter
Dear Prime Minister,
There are more than one million people receiving income support payments that are so low that they force people to choose between paying their rent or buying enough food.
Unfortunately, the number of people in this position is set to rise. The Reserve Bank expects 120,000 more people to be out of paid work by next year.
The job market is already extremely competitive for people on income support. In December 2023, Anglicare found that there were 26 people on Jobseeker competing for each entry-level job.
The longer people remain on income support, the harder it is to transition into paid work. Right now, 80% of people receive the Jobseeker payment for 12 months or more.
To protect people from being left behind, we urge you to adopt the priority recommendation of the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee and substantially lift income support so everyone can cover the basics.
Lifting Jobseeker is not only the right thing to do for people; it would soften the effects of a downturn and help stabilise the economy.
At $55 a day, the current rate of Jobseeker is not enough to cover the essentials like food and medicine let alone get a haircut or buy a new shirt for a job interview.
While the $20 a week increase announced at the May Budget was welcome, it was not enough to prevent widespread distress and deprivation.
In September 2023, ACOSS research found that three quarters of people receiving income support ate less or skipped meals and 6 in 10 had difficulty affording the medical care they needed.
We cannot leave people with the least behind. We call on the Federal Government to substantially increase Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, and related income support payments to ensure everyone has the support they need during tough times.
Sign the letter
(See the 500+ signatories below the form.)
Signatories
David Pocock, Independent Senator for the ACT
Jacqui Lambie, Independent Senator for Tasmania
Lidia Thorpe, Independent Senator for VIC
Kate Chaney, Independent MP Federal Member for Curtin
Zoe Daniel, Independent MP Federal Member for Goldstein
Helen Haines, Independent MP Federal Member for Indi
Monique Ryan, Independent MP Federal Member for Kooyong
Allegra Spender, Independent MP Federal Member for Wentworth
Zali Steggall, Independent MP Federal Member for Warringah
Kylea Tink, Independent MP Federal Member for North Sydney
Andrew Wilkie, Independent MP Federal Member for Clark
Bridget Archer, Liberal MP Federal Member for Bass
Cathy McGowan, MD and Former Federal Member for Indi
Robert Tickner, Former Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Affairs
Penny Allman-Payne, Australian Greens Senator for QLD
Adam Bandt, Australian Greens Leader and Federal Member for Melbourne
Stephen Bates, Australian Greens Federal Member for Brisbane
Max Chandler-Mather, Australian Greens Federal Member for Griffith
Dorinda Cox, Australian Greens Senator for WA
Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Australian Greens Deputy Leader & Senator for NSW
Sarah Hanson-Young, Australian Greens Senator
Nick McKim, Australian Greens Senator
Barbara Pocock, Australian Greens Senator for SA
Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens Senator
Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Leader in the Senate
Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Australian Greens Federal Member for Ryan
Peter Whish-Wilson, Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania
Mark Taylor, Australian Services Union, National Conference Delegate
Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary
Kate Allingham, Economic Justice Australia CEO
Eileen Baldry AO, UNSW Sydney Professor Emerita Criminology
Julia Baron, Victorian Student Representative Council CEO
Josephine Barraket AM, University of Melbourne Professor and Director, Melbourne Social Equity Institute
Jade Blakkarly, WIRE CEO
Jeff Borland, University of Melbourne
Katherine Boyle, Welfare Rights Centre NSW CEO
Geoffrey Buchanan, The Australian National University Research Fellow
Zena Burgess, Australian Psychological Society CEO
Jennie Burns, MercyCare Executive Director
Stu Cameron, Wesley Mission CEO and Superintendent
Carolyn Cartwright, MoneyMob Talkabout Managing Director
Brianna Casey, Foodbank Australia CEO
Kasy Chambers, Anglicare Australia Executive Director
Kate Colvin, Homelessness Australia CEO
Bryanna Connell, Barwon Community Legal Service CEO
Kay Cook, Swinburne University of Technology Associate Dean Research
Carmel Crouch, STEPS Group Managing Director
Jodie Darge, Project Youth CEO
Christina DiPierdomenico, DIVRS
Kendal Drew, Strategic Career Management Director
Bernarda Abbeiiy Edoway, Bunanii Nation Religion Director
Julie Edwards, Jesuit Social Services CEO
John Falzon, ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance Visiting Fellow
Jana Favero, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Acting CEO
Joanne Flavel, University of Adelaide Research Fellow
Kate Fox, The South Australian Financial Counsellors Association (includes NT) Executive Officer
Emeline Gaske, Australian Services Union Assistant National Secretary
Rebecca Glenn, Centre for Women’s Economic Safety Ltd CEO
John Gobeil, AIVL CEO
Beth Goldblatt, Faculty of Law University of Technology Sydney Professor
Cassandra Goldie AO, ACOSS CEO
James Goth, OzHarvest CEO
Jennie Gray, Women’s Legal Service WA CEO
Alan Gray, Earth Garden Foundation Ltd Managing Director
Caroline Hunt, The Australian Clinical Psychology Association President
Angela Jackson, Impact Economics and Policy Lead Economist
Tom Johnson, Council to Homeless Persons Deputy CEO
Bev Jowle, Consumer Credit Legal Service CEO
Rebecca Jury, Waratah Support Centre CEO
Michael Karadjis, University of Western Sydney Lecturer
Kon Karapanagiotidis, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre CEO
Dr Desirée Kozlowski, Southern Cross University Associate Professor
Sally Stevenson, Illawarra Women’s Health Centre Executive Director
Josh Fergeus, City of Monash Councillor
Tim Leach, Community Legal Centres Australia CEO
Renee Leon, Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor
Meron Lewis, The University of Queensland Research Fellow
Sawsan Madina, Former Head of SBS Television
Donna McAuliffe, Griffith University Professor of Social Work
Philip Mendes, Monash University Department of Social Work Professor
Domenique Meyrick, Financial Counselling Australia co-CEO
Carol Mitchell, JEDO: Justice, Ecology and Development Office, Catholic Archdiocese of Perth, WA Director of JEDO
David Morawetz, Social Justice Fund Founder and Director
Melissa Morgan, Australian Federation of Disability Organisation Project coordinator
Nerida Nettelbeck, MoneyMob Talkabout Chairperson
Penny Newson, Central Coast Community Council Inc CEO
Kris Newton, Mountains Community Resource Network (MCRN) Manager
Stephanie Oatley, Platform Youth Services CEO
Kate O’Hara, Foodbank WA Chief Executive Officer
Kelly O’Shanassy, Australian Conservation Foundation CEO
Bryce Pace, Bryce Pace – Autism Advocate Founder
Peter Perry, Blue Mountains Food Services GM
Anthony Pietropiccolo, Centrecare Inc. Director
Andrew Podger, Australian National University
Gaby Ramia, The University of Sydney Professor of Policy and Society
Dr Harry Randhawa, Uniting Country Housing Ltd Chief Executive
Sarah Reed, QuIVAA Chair
Chris Richardson, RichInsight
Sandra Robinson, Flinders University Senior Lecturer, Course Coordinator, Social Impact
Violet Roumeliotis, Settlement Services International CEO
Mel Rowe, Orana House General Manager
Robyn Sampson, Baptist Care Australia CEO
Marie Segrave, University of Melbourne Professor, School of Social and Political Sciences
Nicky Sloan, Community Industry Group CEO
Fiona Stanley, UWA & Uni Melb Patron & Research Professor
David Stuart, Colormaker Industries Australia Managing Director
Imogen Sturni, ASU Victorian Private Sector Branch Secretary
Stacey Thomas, The Wyatt Trust CEO
Carla Treloar, UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor
Deborah Tsorbaris, Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare CEO
Karen van Woudenberg, Blue Mountains Family Support Services t/a Thrive Services CEO
Hang Vo, Sacred Heart Mission Chief Executive Officer
Karyn Walsh, Micah Projects CEO
Kate Wheller, Community Information & Support Victoria Executive Officer
Sebastian Zagarella, People With Disability Australia CEO
Paul Zahra, Australian Retailers Association CEO
Karletta Abianac
Amirah Aboutaleb
Brian Ahern
Tonje Akerholt
Sarah Aldred
Brad Aldred
Jane Allison
Christine Allsopp
Jenni Anderson
Monika Anderson
Nicholas Anderson
Chris Anderson
Nardu Anderson
Judy Andrews
David Aslat
Peter Baines
Lynda Baker
Olivia Ball
Kate Bamford
Sussan Bardsley
Cassandra Barford
Isobel Barker
Laura Barnes
Genevieve Barr
David Barwick
Lyndsay Bassett
Carmen Beauchamp
Janelle Beecham
Daniel Berg
Claire Bettington
Lyn Bevington
Iman Biady
John Blackmore
Elizabeth Blair
Bea Bleile
Michele Blommestein
Tamara Blyth
Jette Bollerup
Giulio Bortolozzo
Jamie Bosanko
Karyn Bosomworth
Liz Bower
Sean Bowes
G Bradbry
Michelle Bradshaw
Jessica Brauer
Taree Brearley
Elizabeth Brooks
Michelle Brown
Pauline Brown
Adam Brown
Marree Bruce
Robert Bruce
James Brus
Emma Bruty
Laura Buck
Emma Buhse
Imogen Bunting
Margaret Burns
Katherine Burrows
Brad Byquar
Lisa Byrnes
Andrew Byrnes
Sam Caarels
Santino Caporarello
Fiona Carberry
Claire Carlin
Thomas Carroll
Justine Cathcart
Fred Chaney
Beth Charleston
Jennifer Cheesman
Helene Christensen
Helene Christensen
Helene Clark
Denise Clarke
Marion Clarke
Lauren Clarke
Peter Clemson
Marie-Pierre Cleret
Michael Clifford
Julia Close
Judith Cluley
Patricia Coghlan
Caitlin Coleman
Lesley Conway
Kevin Conway
Hilary Cook
Karen Cook
Bernadette Cooper Ellis
Sophie Corbett
Donna Corbin
Chantel Corless
Eva Cox
Nicole Cross
Jennifer Crossan
Kate Croucher
Sarah Cruickshank
James Cruz
Lynne Csorba
Chezarne Cuffe
Mark Cullen
Harley Dale
Helen Dalley-Fisher
Harriet Daly
Frances D’Ambra
Lee Daniels
Raewyn Darlington
Brendan David
Paula Davies
Hugh de Beer
Tomas de Bhaldraithe
Giancarlo de Vera
Debra Delaine
Jodi Denehy
Liz Depers
Clare Dempsey
Ghislaine Dijkstra
Julian Disney
Flinn Donovan
Amatus Douw
Danielle Duffield-Sorell
Jan Dunn
Sue Eldridge
Dan Endicott
Phaedra Engel-Harrison
Jeanette Evans
Maxine Eyles
Alan Fairhead
Karen Famlonga
Mairead Farrell
Samantha Fenn
Patrick Fensham
Andrew Finegan
Paul Ford
Julie Foreman
Ric Forsyth
Nina Franceschi
Cliff Fraser
Andrew Frazer
Toby Freeman
Barry French
Cathy Fry
Paul Fuller
Ryan Gallaty
Joseph Gallo
Warren Gardiner
Kerrie Gardner
Timothy Gaut
Jenny Gay
David Gillett
Brendan Gleeson
Michael Gliksman
Jane Glover
Maria Teresa Gomez
Veronica Goodman
Carolyn Goodman
Alison Goodwin
Ruth Gordon
Jane Gorrie
Jepke Goudsmit
Pauline Gowing
Karen Grainger
Elizabeth Gray
Vivienne Grayling
Sam Grebert
Carmel Green
Kate Green
Gabriella Gresz
Pam Gritten
Rich Guerin
Pauline Haas
Evan Hadkins
Linda Hahn
David Haidon
Elly-may Hamilton
Maria Harper
Robyn Harris
Saffron Harris
Katie Harris
Kim Hawksley
Louise Hayes
Sian Henderon
Clifford Hickey
Lesley Holden
Kerry Holder
Karen Holt
Don Houston
Nigel Howard
Vanessa Howe
Don Hutton
Violet Ifans-McDonald
Grace Impala
Margaret Jack
Nerida Jackson
Michelle Jackson
Gordon Jacob
Carmelina Jacob
Colin James
Eleonore Johansson
Owen Jones
Mia Jones
Fiona Jones
Jennifer Jordan
Bill Joyce
Rik Jurcevic
Vida Jurys
Michael Kallidis
Shellie Kavanagh
Paulette Kay
Meredith Kefford
Liz Kelly
Rowan Kelly
Erin Kelly
Olivia Kate Killeen
Vikki King
Harry Knowles
Ivan Kotzur
Yvonne Kwan
Selvin Kwong
Marissa Kyriakopoulos
Julie La Barba
Julie Lamonby
Clare Langworthy
James Larkin
Kathryn Lawrence
Ann Lawrence
Joudy Lazkany
Stephen Leago
Gabrielle Leago
Sylvie Leber
Penny Leemhuis
Eithne Leita
Jordan Leovic
Tracey Leupen
Samantha Levey
Dallas Lewis
Naomi Lewis
Stuart Lightman
Cherie Livotto
Jennifer London
Fernando Longo
Michelle Lotarski
Victoria Lourdaise
Armin Lunsmann
Jeff Maas
Stephen Macready
Kath Madgwick
Melanie Maher
Anne Maloney
Philippa Mansor
Stephanie Marsh
Daryl Marshman
Patrick Martin
Michael Martin
Annette Maurer
River Mazurkiewicz
Giuseppe Mazzarella
Jackie McArthur
Sue McBride
Lily McCallum
Alison McClelland
Catherine McCorkindale
Sarah McFadden
Catherine McIntyre
Kerrie-anne Mckay
Elizabeth McKay
Andrea McKew
Lisa McLachlan
Dawn McLougglin
Genevieve McMahon
Caitlin McMillan-Hawley
Siobhan Meerman
Storm Meiying Liu
Kieran Merritt
Shane Miles
Jennifer Miller
Nyssa Millington
Linda Mina
Geoffrey Mitchell
Gary Moore
Melissa Morgan
Nathan Morris
Ingrid Mulder
Anita Mullaly
Robyn Muller
Janet Munro
Lee Murray
Helen Murti
Sukanya Nath
Greg Natt
Peta Newbound
Leonard Newman
Jennifer Nicholls
Michelle Nicholson
Peter Nisbet
Marilyn Nixon
Susan Nolan
Mary Anne Noone
Christine Norris
K O
Elizabeth O’Brien
Georgina Ogilvie
Anne O’Grady
Gregory Olsen
Philip O’Neill
Jaqueline Outram
Josh Page
Nicola Parin
Yvonne Parker
Cassandra Parkinson
Kaaren Pennings
Karen Perkins
Fiona Pettiford
Lorraine Phelan
Samuel Phillpott
Angela Pierce-Jones
Lynette Pitt
Otis Platt
A R Polack
Helen Post
Bradley Powe
Skye Predavec
Michelle Preston
Andrew Priest
Cass Purdon
Renee Pyers
Victoria Quade
Mary Quinn
Katherine Quinn
David Quinn
Sarah Quinton
Robert Ramsden
Barbara Rankmore
Michael Raper
Marilyn Raven
Patricia Reeves
Chris Reilly
Morwenna Richardson
Raff Righetti
Melissa Riley
Karen Rinke
Freya Rivers
Marea Roberts
Patricia Roberts
Tom Rubin
Alice Russell
Jan Ryan
Michael Sadler
Kylie Salisbury
Kim Salisbury
Marselino Samkakai
Peggy Sanders
Judith Sanderson
Maryann Sarah
Alison Sayer-Jones
Lachlan Sboro
Kim Scanlon
Amanda Sceney
Lyn Schofield
Margaret Schofield
Paula Schulz
Ann Scott
Jacqui Scott
Marguerite Scott
Daniel Scoullar
James Scurrah
Lizabeth Seedy
Peta Severn
Michelle Shackleton
Deborah Sharp
Marie Sheedy
Jean Shelley
Charlie Sheridan
Cindy Sheridan
Robyn Shields
Andrea Simmons
Margaret Sinclair
Meagan Skehill
Monica Skinner
Angela Smith
Ann Smith
Elizabeth Smith
Jeffrey Smith
Lynette Smith
Sari Smith
Tara Smith
William (Gus) Smith
Emma Softly
Victor Sojo
Lauren Sotiropoulos
Susan Stablum
Kerryn Stanford
Jane Stanley
Helen Stein
Linda Sterling-Levis
Darani Stocker
Caitlyn Stocker
Heather Stonehouse
Charles Stott
Thomas Studans
Laura Summerfield
Cath Sweeney
Teresa Szunejko
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Carolyn Thomson
Sarah Thorne
Jack Thornton
Mary Tinneyh
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Campbell Vearing
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Eman Zohdy