<
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/19/renewed-calls-for-labor-to-ditch-work-for-the-dole-scheme-as-major-charity-walks-away>
"Welfare advocates have renewed calls for the Labor government to drop the work
for the dole program after one of the country’s most well-known not-for-profits
announced it was cutting ties with the scheme over concerns it pushes
participants into hardship.
The Brotherhood of St Laurence announced this week it would no longer
participate or use jobseekers from the program, saying it is “not in the best
interests of people who are unemployed”.
“If people do not engage when required, their payments may be suspended,” the
organisation said in a statement.
“As unemployment payments are already well below the poverty line, this pushes
people into even greater hardship.”
Some jobseekers are required to do a work for the dole activity which sees them
placed at a government or not-for-profit organisation as part of their mutual
obligations.
Mutual obligation requirements are meant to ensure jobseekers are actively
looking for work by making them study courses, attend interviews, meet job
providers or work for the dole. If they do not complete the tasks their
payments are suspended.
In a statement, the Brotherhood of St Laurence referred to a recent house
select committee report into Workforce Australia Employment Services which
found that, for most people, work for the dole “does not increase
employability, fails to enable social participation, and creates safety risks
in some cases”.
The report called for an overhaul but stopped short of recommending the program
be stopped altogether, instead saying it was a last resort for a “small
minority of people” who fail to “meaningfully engage”.
BSL said it “believes in supporting agency and choice and using the best
available evidence to improve outcomes – work for the dole is not consistent
with this way of working”.
“Through our advocacy, we are seeking improvements to the employment services
system and the replacement of programs like work for the dole with meaningful
support for people who are unemployed.”"
The “work for the dole” program was created as part of the paternalistic
neoliberal ideology. It should definitely be scrapped.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
