Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697638028806.pdf (Australia)
To the Senate Committee for Community Affairs Inquiry into the Adequacy of NewStart and Related Payments I was once an AusStudy and NewStart recipient.

I live in Sydney and am currently employed by a University as a computer scientist.

I would like to address Term of Reference H H) I do not believe that the current level of income support are adequate for a standard of living that the community would find acceptable.

None of my community think it’s at an acceptable level.
We know this because Pensioners are on a much higher rate.

I do not begrudge pensioners that rate, but I think it is a better reflection of the rate the community finds acceptable than the current unemployment rate.

I am aware of the lack of work available1, I’ve been a job hunter in the recent past – twice in the last 12 months – and despite my skills and resume, I found it both difficult and humiliating looking for work.
Given that this is the case, I believe that the amount of work available should be taken into account when determining the level at which the benefits are set.

The potential for long term unemployment is very real.

Further to this, being underemployed and the precarity it brings is expensive: finding a new house is expensive, moving house is expensive, eating can be expensive depending on location.
The Australian Unemployed Workers Union reports that the current maximum rate of unemployment benefit including rent assistance is about $350 per fortnight below the poverty line2 (Henderson Poverty Line has calculated each quarter by the Melbourne Institute).
This is embarrassing for a country that is so rich, and is an obvious inefficiency in our system – unemployed people that are secure in their accommodation and able to feed themselves and pay their bills are people that are much more likely to be ready and able to enter the workforce.

I also believe – maybe naively – that those that don’t might be more likely to be found volunteering within their community if they feel that they are part of that community.
The current level of benefit isn’t an inclusive amount, it’s a punishing amount.

I would ask that you to raise the rate.

1 2 https://unemployedworkersunion.com/job-seekers-v-job-vacancy-data/ https://unemployedworkersunion.com/newstart-vs-poverty-line/ Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 258