Protesters angered by welfare 'punishment'

BY ANDREW HALL

CANBERRA — Opponents of the federal government's harsh new welfare "reforms" rallied here on September 29, rally organiser Julie Vojneski from the Social Justice Action Group fiercely condemning Prime Minister John Howard and family and community services minister Jocelyn Newman.

Vojneski rebutted Newman's criticisms of mature-age unemployed, sole parents and people with disabilities for failing to "seize opportunities" to participate in the labour market or unpaid community activities. She pointed out that the two most significant factors forcing people to become dependent on social security payments are unemployment and underemployment.

"The recent fall in the official unemployment rate doesn't reflect the true picture. Jobs are increasingly part-time or casual, and often at lower rates of pay. People need support, often long-term, to gain employment. They don't need punishment", she said.

"The government is subjecting welfare recipients to compulsory forced labour. We must oppose the extension of 'mutual obligation' to all welfare recipients and demand the work for the dole scheme to be abolished", Vojneski declared.

The Single Mothers Lobby Alliance presented a statement to the rally objecting to any proposals for mutual obligation for sole parents. Jeremy Pyner, the ACT Trades and Labor Council secretary, condemned the government's scapegoating of the disadvantaged for society ills.

James Vassilopoulos, the Canberra branch secretary of the Democratic Socialist Party, pointed out that the capitalist system, which is supported to the hilt by the Coalition parties, the Labor Party and the Australian Democrats, "needs unemployment to help drive down wages and conditions".

[Contact the Social Justice Action Group on 6232 7976 or the Single Parents Lobby Alliance on 6249 1113.]

From GLW issue 423