Raising JobSeeker for one age group is cruel, discriminatory and stupid

The AUWU rejects the government's reckless "divide and conquer" approach. Welfare recipients of all ages and backgrounds stand together to demand a raise for all.

The government’s supposed plan to raise the rate of JobSeeker exclusively for those over 55 is bafflingly cruel, discriminatory, and stupid.

Instead of providing support to everyone who needs it, the government appears set on arbitrarily deciding that a certain cohort on welfare deserves (slightly) less starvation than others. 

Nobody asked for this policy. And it appears that no advocacy or welfare group was consulted before its release. It’s the kind of opportunistic brainfart that should never see the light of day – that would be laughed out of a high school ethics class; yet, sadly, it’s being presented as a serious solution by the party of workers. Heaven help us. 

It seems clear that government is trying to quash the momentum of the #RaiseTheRate campaign, by offering a token increase to people it deems “deserving:” the 227 000 people on JobSeeker over 55. 

By default, the other 684 000 people on the payment will be cast as “undeserving”: this includes people with disabilities, people battling homelessness, and people fleeing domestic violence. If the government thinks the electorate will be quietly placated by this “divide and conquer” cruelty, it's got another thing coming. Welfare recipients of all ages and backgrounds will continue to stand together to demand an immediate increase for all. 

Community pressure to #RaiseTheRate continues to build. New polling from Essential suggests that half of Australian voters support an increase to the JobSeeker Payment (with only 28% against).

As it stands, 17 Labor MPs (over 20% of their members in the lower house), have broken ranks to demand an immediate raise for all cohorts.

After leading a protest outside Anthony Albanese’s protest last Friday, the AUWU plans to apply more pressure through a newly designed Pressure Map. This tool allows users to see which Labor MPs haven’t supported a JobSeeker increase, and directs people to contact and lobby them.

Politicians who staunchly demanded a JobSeeker raise in Opposition, but have now stayed silent – like Ged Kearney, Andrew Charlton, Lisa Chesters and Emma McBride – will be key strategic targets for the Union’s lobbying efforts. 

As Labor backbencher and rank-breaker, Mike Freelander, told The Guardian yesterday: “I do think a little bit of public pressure on the party as a whole may help Jim [Chalmers] make up his mind.”

We agree. In the lead-up to the budget, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. Because, in this country, nobody deserves poverty – no matter if they’re 16 or 60.

Media Contact: Jeremy Poxon (0404 089 575)