Today’s announcement that the Federal Government will increase Disaster Payments to $750 a week from day 1 of future lockdowns is a welcome relief, however it still leaves behind thousands of people struggling to live on $44 a day in lockdown.
The Prime Minister also announced that a $200 per week disaster support payment will be provided to people on income support who have lost more than eight hours paid work per week as a result of the recent lockdowns.
Cat Nadel, Tomorrow Movement National Director says “Today’s announcement still doesn’t address the fact that thousands of people on JobSeeker are living below the poverty line and are struggling to survive.
“The government is continuing to ignore unemployed people who have no way of accessing employment or financial support in lockdown. Many are struggling to support themselves and their families, and risk eviction and homlessness.
“We need to permanently raise the rate of Jobseeker and Youth Allowance above the poverty line so that young people and unemployed people can live with dignity and not be plunged into crisis every lockdown.
Tomorrow Movement is a youth-led economic and climate justice organisation. They are campaigning for a permanent increase to Youth Allowance and JobSeeker and for long term solutions to the jobs and climate crisis like a Climate Jobs Guarantee.
Neha Madhok, Democracy in Colour National Director says “Today’s announcements of increased support are the result of powerful advocacy and organising of people who stood up for their communities in lock down. It is only by working together and caring for the most vulnerable in our communities that we will be able to beat the virus and get out of lockdown.
“The government must make sure the payments can be accessed by people on temporary visas and that people are supported to stay home and isolate if they need to get tested.
“People on temporary visas are living and working in Australia, and upholding the Australian economy. They are frontline workers in warehouses, aged care and hotel quarantine. They deserve to feel secure, they have made Australia their home.”
Tomorrow Movement and Democracy in Colour have written an open letter that has been signed by over 700 hundred people and co-signed by prominent rights organisations and unions with the following demands:
- ✅ Federal Covid Disaster Support Payments for everyone. New payments were announced and are available to any worker, including people on student and working visas. However some of the poorest workers are still locked out. With people working less than 8 hours or on an income support payment still excluded from support.
- ❌Increased Jobseeker and Youth Allowance. This is partial win. Payments of $200 a week have been announced for people on Jobseeker, Youth Allowance and the pension if they lost of 8 hours a week of work. But there is no support for people who were not working.
❌A real plan for vaccine rollout. We need a competent vaccine rollout and public health policy plan that does not rely on border closures and rolling lockdowns which disproportionately harm migrant communities and young people.
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