Page 2079 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 25 October 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
many and swell the number of young people seeking unemployment benefits. Replacement of unemployment benefits for those over 18 years old with the lower Jobsearch allowance for school and tertiary leavers will make it more difficult for low income families to meet basic living expenses and financial commitments. This will impact on family breakdown and numbers of homeless, unsupported young people. School and tertiary leavers who are not supported by families will be denied support for independent living expenses. To then propose cuts to employment training programs will exacerbate the problems and leave even more young people unemployed in this technological society where training and high-level skills are necessary to find jobs.
ACT programs associated with family support and assistance and those services aimed at support, counselling, accommodation and financial assistance for homeless young people are likely to be placed under heavy demand as a result of these changes. The ACT has already responded to the evidence presented by the Burdekin report on homeless youth by improving the coordination of programs aimed at assisting these young people and by providing additional funds for the establishment of a youth outreach service scheme to prevent further family breakdown. Demands resulting from the coalition proposal would place these initiatives at risk.
The ACT Government has responded to the needs of youth in the 1989-90 budget through the provision of a youth outreach worker program which provides personalised information, support and job planning services for long-term unemployed teenagers and youth with disabilities. School liaison officers are being employed to prevent and minimise youth homelessness by early detection and direct assistance to young people at risk.
The extension of waiting periods for payment of unemployment benefits, ending of unemployment benefits after nine months with changeover, if eligible, to special benefit, and cuts in labour and employment programs will have an impact on recipients of benefits and their dependants. There will be an increase in the need for supplementary financial assistance and family support during waiting periods. Assessment and review of eligibility for concessions associated with the receipt of social security payments is expected to be delayed, further increasing the suffering of the underprivileged in our society.
At the risk of agitating Mr Humphries, who has returned to the chamber, I would like to refer now to a Sydney Morning Herald report on 23 October which perhaps demonstrates the lack of unity amongst the Liberal ranks on this issue. The report pointed to the revelations by Mr David Connolly, the Federal Opposition spokesman on social security. He took off the lid and demonstrated what the Liberal Government was really up to, but then was rebuked by the leader, Mr
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .