22 February 2011

Government’s welfare recommendations do not address poverty, says Welfare Justice Chair

The Welfare Working Group’s recommendations anticipate leaving a quarter of a million people in poverty, says Welfare Justice - Alternative Welfare Working Group chair Mike O’Brien.

“There is no attention to issues about poverty, or the work of caring for children and dependent relatives,“ says Dr O’Brien. “Even if their proposals were able to achieve their stated goal of reducing benefit numbers by 100,000 over the next ten years, many will still remain living in poverty.”

Dr O’Brien chaired the eight-month long Welfare Justice - Alternative Welfare Working Group project, which held public meetings and took submissions responding to the terms of reference given to the government Welfare Working Group. The group of six academics and community leaders were commissioned by Church and beneficiary groups to write an alternative report, which was released in December.

Despite its extensive consultation with the community sector on the alternative report, Dr O’Brien was disappointed that neither the Minister nor Welfare Working Group Chair have yet agreed to meet with the Alternative Group. “The Minister said last June that she wanted a welfare debate – the test of that is her willingness to hear and consider different perspectives on welfare reform.”

Some key issues in the Alternative Welfare Working Group’s December report Welfare Justice for all include:

There are not sufficient jobs available at adequate wages to enable beneficiaries to move into work
Many beneficiaries want to move into paid work, but given the uncertain nature of many jobs in the current environment, transferring from a benefit into work carries significant risks
All work needs to be valued. Work is not limited to paid work and the work of caring for dependants is key work in our society.
Benefit levels are inadequate and result in significant levels of poverty and deprivation.
Despite the efforts of many staff, too many beneficiaries experience the benefit system as punitive and unhelpful
Reform of social security needs to be integrated with other components of the welfare system, especially in the areas of health, employment, education, housing and social services.
Changes to Sickness and Invalids benefits need to face both the discrimination faced by disabled people and must be based on a social model of disability.
Welfare reform should be based on the relentless pursuit of wellbeing.

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