Perth action against federal budget
By Sean Healy
PERTH — A public rally and demonstration have been planned for May 5, one day after the launch of the federal government's white paper on employment and five days before the budget.
The rally, on the theme "Demand a Decent, Minimum Living Income For All", plans to raise four key demands: that the government rescind its proposed "training wage"; no scrapping of the under-18 dole; give Austudy recipients access to rent assistance; lower the age for "independent" rate for Austudy to 18 years
The rally, organised by the Education Action Network, is planned for Thursday, May 5, at 1.30pm outside the Fremantle Town Hall.
Rjurik Davidson, a Resistance activist and member of the Network, told Green Left that the rally was called "to make sure there was public response to what will be an awful budget.
"The worst thing is that the government is trying to pass this budget off as a serious attempt to tackle the problems of the long-term unemployed. It's nothing of the sort. This budget is an austerity budget.
"It shows just how willing the government is to jettison young people, the unemployed and basic social justice in favour of the money markets and the 'deficit reduction strategy'", Davidson concluded.