Salvation Army recommends $35 a day campaign

The Salvation Army Australia has a significant history in working with and advocating for the rights and needs of disadvantaged people in our community. The Salvation Army is one of Australia’s largest providers of social services and programs for the most marginalised and socially excluded Australians. 

As an active member of the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) The Salvation Army Australia supports the immediate call for:

An increase of $50 per week in the rate of payment of the Newstart Allowance for individuals.  This would significantly reduce the discrepancy between payment types and would ease both financial hardship and disadvantage for recipients.

The introduction of consistent indexation of working age payments (i.e. Newstart Allowance) to wages to prevent further widening of the gap between the payment types.
The reduction of the personal income test for recipients on Newstart Allowance payments from 60% to 50%, which would mean an increase in the amount able to be earning in part-time employment before loss of allowance payment and thereby encourage participation in the workforce.
In the longer term the Salvation Army also supports ACOSS’ call for:

The realignment of the income and social support payment system to be structured on a single core payment based on essential living costs and with supplements for additional costs including rent, disability, caring and sole parenting (as described in the Australia’s Future Tax System Final Report[1]).   Any activity requirements mandated under the system would be determined by the type of supplement an individual is eligible for (i.e. no participation requirements for aged pensioners, while working aged recipients would be required to undertake work preparation activities, part-time and/or full-time employment).

The Salvation Army believes significant inequity has developed for Australians receiving the income support payment Newstart.  This support payment has fallen behind adequate levels to provide disadvantaged Australians with the ability to maintain a basic standard of living, commensurate to other forms of income allowance.  Therefore, The Salvation Army calls on the Federal Government to increase payment levels for Newstart and index future increases to wage levels. 

[1] Australia’s Future Tax System Final Report (2009)

For more information please contact:
The Salvation Army, Australia Southern Territory
Territorial Communications & Fundraising Department, 95-99 Railway Road, Blackburn VIC 3130
T: 03 8878 2400 
E: salvosaus@aus.salvationarmy.org