Wednesday, June 29, 2005

ACOSS criticises welfare-to-work provisions

Can you lend me a dollar?

The Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) says its Budget analysis shows that welfare [social services] recipients who want to study or work part-time will be worse off under the Federal Government's new welfare-to-work provisions.

The Government's latest Budget aims to increase the working hours need to qualify for disability benefits, and to get sole parents back into the workforce once their children turn five-years-old.

ACOSS says its assessment of the Budget provisions could mean welfare recipients are worse off by $55 to $155 a week.

ACOSS president Andrew McCallum says the disabled and sole parents will be the worst affected by the work to welfare provisions.

"People who are going to work part-time or are looking to go into study will be financially worse off," he said.

"We're saying the financial disincentives to work have to be removed and the Government still has time to do this.

"We're saying that people could be $55 to $155 a week worse off."

By ACOSS 29 June 05

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