Nothing demonstrates the mean-spirited mentality of this government more than its obdurate desire, despite all the evidence, to “reform” Australia’s welfare state. Does Australia’s welfare system need reforming? The available evidence says no. The federal government’s deficit has been driven by lower-than-expected revenues, rather than any blow out in spending. Australia runs quite a small government as a share of our overall economy. In comparison with other wealthy nations, we don’t tax very much, and we don’t spend very much either. What about welfare payments themselves? Are they rising unsustainably? Is there a culture of entitlement in which more and more Australians are living on government benefits? No, no, and no. The government’s own Review of Australia’s Welfare System, chaired by Patrick McClure, shows that Australia’s welfare state is shrinking. The proportion of ordinary Australians accessing government benefits has been falling for decades. According to the Interim Report, released over the weekend, “the percentage of the working age population receiving income support peaked in 1997 at 24.9 per cent, before falling … to 16.7 per cent in 2013.” That’s a very significant fall. The proportion of Australians on welfare dropped by approximately a third in less than two decades. As a nation, we’re bludging less, and working more. Source and read more... https://newmatilda/2014/07/01/welfare-system-aint-broke-so-why-fix-it
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 10:34:13 +0000
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