Majority of Australians agree JobSeeker payments not enough to live on

Most Australians agree income support payments are not enough to live on, as cost of living pressures continue to hit Australians, a new survey has found.

The survey conducted by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and UNSW found less than a quarter (23 per cent) of those surveyed believe they could live on current JobSeeker payments.

It comes after the Federal government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee recommended the government increase working-age support payments in the upcoming budget.

The current JobSeeker payments are $409 a week, and the survey found 87 per cent agreed they should be enough so people don’t have to skip meals.

Some 60 per cent of people also believed government policy has caused poverty in Australia.

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said Australians understand poverty has “systemic causes”.

“The social security system is failing people and it needs to be fixed,” Dr Goldie said.

“People in Australia understand poverty has systemic causes and they want a social security system that actually keeps people out of poverty.

“The vast majority want unemployment payments to be enough so people don’t have to skip meals. This demonstrates strong public support for the recommendations made by the Federal Government’s own expert Committee.”

Previous ACOSS findings found more than one in seven Australians lived below the poverty line in 2022-23 — over 3.7m people.

“Poverty is not a personal failing. It is the direct result of setting income support payments far below what is needed to eat and keep a roof over their head,” Dr Goldie said.

“The evidence and basic decency all point to the same solution: lift the rate to a level that is enough to meet essential needs.”