Anti-poverty campaigners rally for welfare payment increases

Five years ago, the Morrison government doubled welfare payments, offering a temporary Coronavirus support measure. Welfare recipients received an extra $275 per week, alleviating many from poverty overnight, before resuming initial JobSeeker rates six month later.

This morning – the same day welfare payments are indexed to increase by $1.55 per week – anti-poverty advocates and welfare recipients assembled in Canberra’s Parliament House, calling the government to act on poverty by echoing the moves of 2020.

Producers:

• Emma Wotzke
• Noah Secomb

Speakers:

• Anti-Poverty Network Queensland; Disability Support Pension recipient
• Antipoverty Centre; Disability Support Pension recipient
• Jaden Oxton-White – Spokesperson
• Kristin O’Connell – Co-ordinator