The government must raise the rate of JobSeeker and related payments in this Budget following the release of the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee report, says ACOSS.
ACOSS strongly welcomes the report's recommendations including raising JobSeeker and working age payments as a "first priority" and also increasing rent assistance.
ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie said the Treasurer must act on these recommendations in the May Budget.
"With three million people living in poverty in Australia, there is no time for delay," Dr Goldie said.
"The clear message from the Committee is that JobSeeker and related payments are grossly inadequate. They entrench people in poverty and create a barrier to paid work for people looking for a job.
"The Committee heard directly from people receiving these payments, including many who are routinely skipping meals, and forgoing essential medication and healthcare just to keep a roof over their head or pay their energy bill.
"In this Budget the Treasurer has the chance to reduce poverty and suffering in this country. He must act now."
ACOSS calls for income support payments to be increased to at least $76 a day as a first priority and rent assistance to be doubled. This would help ensure people can keep a roof over their head and cover the cost of other essentials.
ACOSS thanks the Chair, members of the Committee and people who met with the Committee and shared their personal experience of living on inadequate income support payments, including Sarah* who receives JobSeeker Payment:
Sarah said: "You can buy a tray of sausages and, you know, bag them up in the freezer for the fortnight. But yeah, you rarely get to have any meat. Fruit and vegetables are absolutely shocking. You can't afford to do eat healthily, that's for sure. So, they're killing us, basically. They're not helping us. They're making us a hell of a lot worse. And I'm meant to have at least three medications a day, but only have one because I can't afford the others, and they [doctors] say, you know, they'll help me sleep, and they'll help me with my pain, but I'll just take the one for restless legs syndrome that I can't live without. And yeah, I just, I'm just used to living with pain."
*name changed
