FOR US, THE 'PINCH' IS A STEAMROLLER

Everyone in Australia is aware of the rising costs of living. Everyone is feeling ‘the pinch’. ‘The pinch’, for those at the higher end of incomes, is like prick of a vaccine jab. 

But for us who are the lowest and most vulnerable, ‘the pinch’ is the pain of being run over by the economic steam roller.

Albanese promised that no one would be left behind. But the most vulnerable are being left behind, especially those on the Disability Support Pension who are medically unable to work, or on JobSeeker by no choice of their own.

They are abandoning us who were already living in systemic poverty even before this extreme inflation so that we won't have the money to pay for the most essential and basic needs: shelter, food and medicine. 

They are knowingly abandoning the most vulnerable.

Worse, they are intentionally throwing us under the Economic Steamroller. Leaving behind our Aussie Battlers is part of the solution according to this Budget's economic management.

THIS IS ECONOMIC HUMAN SACRIFICE.

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WHAT MUST CHANGE?

1.   The Government must increase income support NOW for those on JobSeeker, Disability Support Pension and Youth Allowance. The tiny inflation indexation in March is too far away for severe pressures happening now.

2.   The Government must decrease the co-payment for Health Care Card Holders to $1.00. Albanese & Chalmers say they are making improving access to medication and making it more afforable by lowering the PBS maximum payment for $42.50 to $30. But once again, they are leaving the most vulnerable behind who already suffer disproportionate cost of living pressure. 

The general public will pay $12.50 less per script. But the cost of $6.80 for Health Care Card holders remains the same, even though people like us are more likely to have chronic health issues and more medications. 

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ECONOMIC HUMAN SACRIFICE HAS REAL-LIFE CONSEQUENCES

The Government must listen and change their destructive and harmful course.

The real-life consequences of this budget: 

• Chronic disease rates rise as nutrition goes down. 
• Cycles of generational poverty are reinforced as children fall behind at school because parents cannot afford essentials like a uniforms, calculators, access to a computer.
• More people become homeless as immigration is increasing, but housing supply has not kept up so rents will continue to increase.
• Crippling depression and suicide rates increase as the financial stress and hopelessness brings people to breaking point.

Briefly we saw how the pandemic supplement raised people out of poverty. For the first time, choices between vital medication or food, electricity or a specialist appointment, car repairs or a fortnight’s rent were no longer paralysing.

Mental health improved for many even in a pandemic, because years of crippling financial stress was lifted. Social connection and engagement became possible when the affordability of petrol or a train ticket no longer forced people to stay home due to lack of money. Physical health improved because diets defined by cheap 2 minute noodles could now include fresh and healthy food.

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THE GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC PLAN MUST BE ETHICAL

Australia knows the cost of abandoning our most vulnerable. Economic Injustice and Wealth Inequality are significant threats to our society. We only have to look to the USA and the UK and other places to see the devastating impact and political instability.

With this Budget, Albanese, Jim Chalmers & the Labor Party are playing with fire in a petrol station. 

And from the Pandemic, Australian know the reality of joblessness and lack of money, and the stress and mental health issues it brings. Australians no longer believe in punishing the vulnerable to benefit the wealthy, because we know that it could be any one of us who suddenly loses their health and employment.

All Australians know the pinch, and they think, 'If my family is doing it tough and my household income is around the median weekly mark of $1780 a week, I can't even begin to imagine how a single parent and the children are making it work on $359 a week on JobSeeker.'

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ECONOMIC HUMAN SACRIFICE MUST NOT CONTINUE

This budget this is the farthest thing from economic justice and promises of leaving no one behind. 

Our Treasurer Jim Chalmers is now driving this Economic Steamroller. He must change course urgently and immediately. Human sacrifice must never pave the way for a healthy economy.

 

What can you do?

— Sign & Share this petition.

— Send an email the Treasurer at Raise the Rate for Good