Budget 2014 - changes to dole for under 30's, youth unemployment, homelessness

[cherry*135]

What is the Govt doing, apart from training & education intitiatives to create employment for this group?

There are 257 000 unemployed youth in Australia.

Our local TAFES have had cuts and less courses available.  The unemployed youth in this area is the 2nd highest in NSW. 

[cherry*135]

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@*elizabeths-mum* wrote:
If you have a job that is only giving 4 hours a week, does that count as unemployed? Or is that employed?

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As far as work experience, which cuts down the waiting period for the dole it is employed, it is counted (pro-rata)

[cherry*135]

Cuts to local TAFE's ( including closing the Libary in one. Learn or earn... yeah, right.

‘‘Why rip the guts out of TAFE in an area of high unemployment, where we need jobs?’’

[cherry*135]

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@*elizabeths-mum* wrote:
"Because we want new jobseekers, especially those leaving school and university, to actually look for work, income support will only be provided once a six month period of job hunting has been completed."

Is that a quoted policy? I find the word 'actually' offensive. To me it implies that they sit back waiting for jobs to fall into their laps while all the young people I know actively search for work, ideally in the field of their qualification, but any work if not.

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Yes, it came from, budget.gov.au (the link is in the post I first quoted it in). So it is not something some journalist wrote.

A Uni student about to graduate wouldn't think ...hey, I can't be bothered trying hard to get a job when I graduate, I would rather sit around home and get Newstart at $250 a week for the rest of my life (especially not, after spending 3-5+ years studying in their field of interest at great expense to themselves (Uni fees).

[cherry*135]

catmad - BUT I have looked into the whole proposal and overall it looks pretty similar to what we have now and not as dramatic as being portrayed in the media.

Your intrepetation of it is flawed then and/or you haven't compared details very closely. The info I have posted in this thread, has come from Budget documents, not media spin and myself and others real life experiences about the real world (not pontificating theories).

Under 25's get Youth Allowance now instead of Newstart Allowance... that in itself is a major change.

YA allows a much higher amount the person can earn per ft nt before their benefit is reduced, that is IF THEY CAN GET A PART TIME JOB. If not, then their income will be drastically reduced. Tell them nothings much has changed!

An entitlement to the dole will only every be for 6 mths, next 6mths have to qualify to be eligible again. That is going to require a lot more Centrelink staff to adminster that, every person on the unemployment benefit will have to be assessed every 6mths as if they are going on the benefit for the first time. Hope they can do that in a timely manner AND get it right!

[cherry*135]

If it was similar to what we have now, it wouldn't have even ended up in the news or as a major part of the budget changes.

LNP supporters spin on it, doesn't fool anyone.