Friday October 16, 11am-12:30pm
Office of Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, 21 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide
It is another Anti-Poverty Week; yet another year where a Federal Government has repeatedly made the choice to keep job-seekers and others on welfare payments living hundreds of dollars per week below the poverty-line, on some of the lowest unemployment payments among wealthy nations.
Albanese promised: No One Left Behind. But after 4 years, the poverty crisis remains profound and painful.
We have long known that poverty damages people’s health. We also know that poverty can shorten people’s lives: recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare research indicates people on welfare payments have a mortality rate 9 times higher, and a suicide rate 5 times higher, than the rest of the country.
This is outrageous, especially in a country this wealthy. It is also preventable.
Join us this Anti-Poverty Week outside the office of Mark Butler, Federal Health Minister, as we call for an urgent, significant boost to JobSeeker and other welfare payments, to above the poverty-line, so that no one needs to live on an income where they cannot look after their health, be part of their community, or live with dignity.
