The number of working-age Australians relying on welfare payments has surged to almost 1.4 million, as the Albanese Government manages an increasing share of young men and women who are considered unable to work. Source: The Australian.
Amid concerns about the rising number of younger Australians shifting onto JobSeeker and Youth Allowance payments, government data show that 733,700 people aged 15 years and over were permanently unable to work, including 36,700 males aged between 25 and 34.
Despite the historically low unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent and near-record high participation rates, an additional 122,000 people aged under 34 have moved on to welfare payments since the May 2022 election.
At the end of March, 1,365,280 working-age Australians were receiving JobSeeker, Youth Allowance (Other) and single parenting payments, including 417,240 recipients aged under 34.
While population and labour force growth have increased since Labor inherited a working-age jobless welfare cohort of 877,612, there has been upwards growth in the number of JobSeeker and Youth Allowance recipients. The welfare cohort peaked at 1,624,269 during the pandemic in August 2020.
Ahead of the May 12 budget, which will be framed around addressing intergenerational equity, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth acknowledged that while youth unemployment remained lower than it was before Covid, “there are unique challenges impacting young Australians in the job market”.
“Despite a record number of Australians in jobs, unemployment low and participation near record highs, we understand young people can still fall through the cracks,” Ms Rishworth said.
With an increasing number of Australians relying on welfare supports for less than one-or-two-years, Ms Rishworth said “we know the longer a young person is disconnected from the labour market, the harder it is for them to get employed”.
She said programs were in place to keep young Australians linked to work opportunities, including Transition to Work, Free-TAFE and Raising the Game, which links young people in the gaming industry with targeted training and work experience.
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Push to keep young Australians in work and off welfare, amid ‘stagflation’ fears (By Geoff Chambers, The Australian)
