The Greens 17-5-10
Media Release - Spokesperson Rachel Siewert - 17 May 2010
The Australian Greens have called on the Federal Government to abandon its plans to extend income management, saying the approach is flawed.
"The latest research by the Menzies School of Health Research showing that income management hasn't modified purchasing behaviour should be well and truly ringing the Government's alarm bells" said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on community services.
"Not only is there no hard evidence that income quarantining is working, but there is now compelling evidence that income quarantining has a negative effect on people."
"Despite the strongest findings to date that the use of income management as part of the Northern Territory intervention has been both counterproductive and costly, the Government appears hell-bent on expanding conditional welfare across the NT and then beyond to the rest of Australia."
"Income quarantining demonises people, is punitive, causes hardship, and effects emotional wellbeing. I continue to be astonished that this Government thinks rolling it out across Australia is consistent with their commitment to social inclusion."
"The Government should withdraw the legislation currently before the Senate and put in place measures that genuinely help people to overcome disadvantage," concluded Senator Siewert.
Source: http://greens.org.au/content/australian-greens-call-government-abandon-income-management
Reproduced with the kind permission of Senator Rachel Siewert.