An undeserved sentence to poverty
By Sandra Hawker
Part of the recession we had to have which hasn't received much attention in the "mainstream" media is the increasingly harsh treatment of unemployed people by the government. Singled out for reduced rates of income support and ever more reasons for being excluded are unemployed people between 16 and 20.
The Hawke government's treatment of these vulnerable groups is worse than that of the Fraser government in the last significant recession of 1982-83. There are now almost 200,000 young people without jobs, nearly as many as in December '83.
One particularly nasty change introduced by the Hawke government was to make school leavers wait 13 weeks instead of the previous six when they apply for the dole. The effect is to increase the tensions in families already battling to survive. The stress of an unemployed teenager in families dependent on every cent they can get often leads to the teenager leaving home, and thus contributes to youth homelessness. A recent survey, sponsored by the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, of young people applying for Job Search Allowance found that over half had left home in the 13-week waiting period.
The National Inquiry into Homeless Children by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission in 1989 heard much evidence on the consequences of low levels of income support for unemployed teenagers. It commented: "The financial strain on the families of these young people and on the young persons themselves has increased youth homelessness and related problems for young people across Australia".
The government has also introduced a harsher parental income test for youth who apply for the dole while living at home, and pays them less than those living away from home.
These changes make it much less likely than 10 years ago that an unemployed young person will get the dole. In February 1983, 86% of unemployed 16- and 17-year-olds were getting unemployment benefit; now 39% are.
Even when they do manage to get on to social security, young people have to cope with the most paltry rates. For most under the age of 18, the rate of unemployment payments has dropped 60% since 1983.
In 1982-83, the adult rate, paid to all unemployed over 18, was 76% of the poverty line. In 1988, however, the government introduced the youth rate, called Job Search Allowance, for 16- and 17-year-olds. Today these rates are only 56% of the adult rates and a mere 49% of the poverty line.
If you're 16 or 17, looking for a job and living away from home, you get $102 a week; if you're 18, $113 a week.
These specially low youth rates cannot be justified: young people do not get discounts on rent, food and clothing costs. Government policies in this area are condemning young unemployed >Sandra Hawker is a welfare worker in Sydney.