Economic Inclusion Advisory Panel welcomed

The St Vincent de Paul Society welcomes news that following negotiations with Senator David Pocock the Albanese Government will create an Economic Inclusion Advisory Panel.

‘The Society commends the Albanese Government and Senator Pocock for the historic agreement to establish an independent, legislated panel to review and publish advice to government before each federal budget on ways to increase economic inclusion and the adequacy of income support payments,’ National President Claire Victory said.

‘The incorporation of independent advice on economic inclusion and income support payments into the budgetary process is a significant step forward and will give hope to many of those on Australia’s brutally low income support rates that entrench poverty and disadvantage almost a million Australians,’ Ms Victory said.

The Society has long called for the establishment of an independent body to advise the government on the income support system.

‘Our members are witness to the daily challenges faced by income support recipients as they struggle to cover the basics of housing, food and bills, which has been made all the more impossible by the current cost-of-living crisis,’ Ms Victory said.

‘It is simply not good enough that in a country like Australia so many are forced to skip a meal so their children can eat or to go without essential medication to keep a roof over their heads.

‘We know that households relying on income support are five times more likely to experience poverty.

‘Lifting people out of persistent poverty is simple: it starts by monitoring and increasing working age payments.

‘A transparent and accountable process to review income support payments will finally illustrate just how broken the income support system is and will hopefully influence the direction our decision makers should take to build a fair, equitable and socially cohesive society.

‘This initiative reflects a new level of maturity in our Federal Parliament.

‘We welcome and support the role of cross benchers to bring a strong and community minded lens to new legislation,’ Ms Victory said.