The Australian government fears reform and leadership. And it’s following the Liberal party to the right. The latest example is the government’s refusal to increase jobseeker.
The government’s advisory committee recommended increasing the rate to 90% of the aged pension that would cost $24 billion over four years. The committee found jobseeker is a barrier to entering the workforce as jobseekers don’t have enough to pay for the “essentials of life”.
The base rate of jobseeker is $693.10 a fortnight for a single person with no children. The pension is $971.50 a fortnight or $69.40 a day.
The government has been steadfast in its intention to implement the Morrison government’s stage three tax cuts. The promise of four decades ago that cutting taxes leads to economic prosperity for all has been disproven. There is no prosperity for the disadvantaged, low-paid and unemployed. Their number is increasing as the gap between the have-nots and haves widens. The tax cuts will widen the gap.
Forty-eight percent of Australians don’t want the tax cuts, 22% do, and 30% are unsure.
The economic outlook necessitates reducing government spending. Not implementing the tax cuts would tax cuts would save $97.2 billion over four years. The Jobseeker increase would cost $24 billion over four years.
The Labor party used it be for the disadvantaged, for equality of opportunity, for helping those who need it. Not increasing jobseeker and not implementing the tax cuts, will not be good for the economy of the Labor party whose supporters will go to the Greens and progressive independents.