The Australian Catholic Church’s ongoing effort to see Newstart payments raised for the first time in over 20 years appears to be gaining ground.
According to SBS, the adequacy of Newstart and related welfare payments will be examined in a wide-ranging Senate inquiry as calls grow for an increase to the unemployment support payment.
Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen, said most families were dealing with cost of living pressures but the most vulnerable were now finding it almost impossible to get by.