Western Australia will benefit by $377 million if the Federal Government raised Newstart, Youth Allowance and related payments by $75 per week.

Deloitte Access Economics has today released a report commissioned by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), with the support of the network of state and territory Councils of Social Service, showing that raising unemployment and student payments for people looking for paid work or studying would deliver 12,000 new jobs across the country.

“Increasing Newstart will have a great stimulus effect on the WA economy, boosting spending on locally produced goods and services, which in turn will support wage and jobs growth,” said Louise Giolitto, Chief Executive Officer, WACOSS.

The local government areas of Stirling, Wanneroo and Swan would be the largest economic beneficiaries of the increases.

“Newstart is less than $40 a day and has not increased in real terms for 24 years, while wages and prices have continued to rise.

“People who are looking for work or studying are having to make impossible choices like whether they pay their rent, put food on the table, pay their bills to keep the lights on, or go see a doctor.”

More than two thirds of people support an increase to Newstart, as do all the leading charities, community organisations, the Committee for Economic Development, Deloitte Access Economics, KPMG, Australian Industry Group, and the Business Council of Australia. There are now 14 Local Councils supporting an increase to Newstart, including the City of Fremantle, and the National Assembly of Local Government passed a motion of support.

“Lifting Newstart is the right thing to in the interests of fairness and equality, and it’s the right thing to do for our communities as well,” Louise said.

Ends.

 

Download the Deloitte Access Economics Report Analysis of the impact of raising benefit rates here

To download a PDF version of this media release click here.

Media contact: Laurene Coller, Communications Officer, WACOSS, [email protected], 08 9420 7222 or 0419 316 557

 

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