Speech by Fi George at Anti-Poverty Network SA’s Cost-Of-Living Community Meeting in Kilburn, on Saturday June 1, 2024.
Hello everyone.
I just want to thank all of you for being here, it’s great to see so many of us in the same space.
My name is Fi, and I am a member of the Anti-Poverty Network. I am Neurodivergent, chronically ill and have lived in poverty for the last 10 years.
I am here to talk about how I feel about the recent Federal Budget, what could have been announced and why I believe we need to keep putting pressure on governments to end poverty.
I am sure I am not alone when I say that I am angry about the Federal Budget.
It is a shameful, irresponsible, and heartless budget.
Jobseekers with a capacity to work less than 14 hours per week – that’s 2 hours a day – will receive a small boost – these people should be on the Disability Support Pension, not Jobseeker, but they aren’t thanks to the complexity of applying and the restrictions on eligibility.
A 10% increase in Rent Assistance was also announced – this will be approximately $6 per week for single sharers. An insulting amount when so many of us are facing rental increases of over $50 per week.
The 2024 Federal Budget is an audacious display of our current governments complete disconnect from the day-to-day reality of so many Australians.
So, what do I feel should have been announced?
- A raise to the rate of all income support payments to at least $88 per day – the current Henderson poverty line – with a commitment to benchmarking these rates against the Henderson Poverty Line regularly.
- An increase to income support supplements, such as Rent Assistance, Pharmacy Allowance and the Energy Supplement to reflect the current (and projected) state of the cost-of-living and housing affordability crisis.
- Significantly greater investment in affordable public housing options.
- Greater investment in updating currently unused public housing stock – as we need more housing right now.
- A plan to make Medicare bulk-billing more attractive to all health practitioners – so more Australians can see a doctor, access mental health support, and receive dental care.
There is absolutely NO excuse for not lifting people out of poverty!!
Greg Jericho, a Guardian columnist and policy director at the Center for Future Work, in his recent article titled – “Raising jobseeker is not “fiscally sustainable”? Sorry, but that is flat out wrong” – said that there is NO budgetary or economic reason that makes increasing any income support payment by $550 per fortnight “not fiscally sustainable”.
Poverty is a policy choice. It is a political choice.
Australia is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development forum – which has 38 member countries – and we have the lowest income support.
We are also party to 7 of the key human rights treaties – one of which is the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which contains our right to social security.
This Covenant requires Australia to ensure we have a social security scheme that enables us to have access to essential health care, basic shelter and housing, water and sanitation, food, and a basic level of education.
Social security plays an important role in poverty reduction and alleviation, prevents social exclusion and promotes social inclusion.
Having access to an adequate and responsive social security system is our right, and I know I don’t have to tell you that Australia’s social security system is failing, and so we must fight!!
Together we CAN have a positive impact in the lives of Australians affected by the cost-of-living and housing affordability crisis.
Together we can hold our governments accountable for their actions and work to make our welfare system a more practical, inclusive and compassionate one.
Anti-Poverty Network SA 