Justice, Opportunity and Shared Wealth for all South Australians

You are here

No.46, March Quarter 2021 - JobSeeker

The data in this report shows the inadequacy of the recent $25 per week rise in the base rate of JobSeeker. Around one-third of the increase simply addressed the problem of inadequate indexation and the payment remains well below the poverty line. That is, despite all the arguments around poverty, mental health and the low rate being a barrier to job-readiness, despite all the submissions to numerous government inquiries from people sharing their experiences of JobSeeker poverty, despite the economic modelling of the stimulus value of increasing the base rate of JobSeeker, and despite the broad support from business leaders, economists, community groups and of course social security recipients themselves, the government has chosen to implement a very minimum and wholly inadequate increase to the rate. 

It is not clear where the advocacy around the inadequacy of JobSeeker will go, but the evidence in this report adds powerfully to the weight of the voices of unemployed people, and again shows the inadequacy of the recent increase in the rate of JobSeeker. With the rate of JobSeeker still so far under the poverty line, the issue is not settled and the campaign for an adequate increase is far from over.

Download No.46 March Quarter 2021 - JobSeeker

Published Date: 
Saturday, 8 May 2021