Fed: Mutual obligation principle taking, not giving report

AAP General News (Australia)
08-14-2000
Fed: Mutual obligation principle taking, not giving report

A research paper has described the federal government's work-for-welfare principle
as taking without giving.

Dr PAMELA KINNEAR, who prepared the paper for the Australia Institute, says instead
of pushing unemployed people, and possibly single parents, into jobs they did not want,
society should be grateful to the unemployed.

Dr KINNEAR says the idea that the wealthy demand that the poor pay them back turns
mutual obligation on its head.

She says the government's mutual obligation policies assume that most unemployed people
have choices, when they do not.

She says the alternatives to accepting unemployment benefits in this society is destitution
or crime.

The government will this week release the final report of the MCCLURE committee which
is expected to recommend that single parents on benefits should undergo an activity test
when their youngest child turns 12 rather than the current age of 16.

But social justice campaigner Reverend TIM COSTELLO says single-parent families have
extraordinary, complex and difficult tasks.

AAP RTV dep/mfh/gp/

KEYWORD: WELFARE INSTITUTE (CANBERRA)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.