NUS: No fair go for young people; education gutted, welfare slashed

There is nothing fair about this budget and there is definitely no sign of opportunity. The government is gutting education, they are gutting welfare. This is an out-of-touch budget with no vision for our future and nothing for young people to aspire to.

“There is no incentive for young people to go to university if we’re paying much higher fees for a far worse quality education system; not to mention it’s going to leave us with thousands of dollars of debt before we’re earning barely above minimum wage.” said NUS President Sophie Johnston.

“This budget seems to be a race to the bottom for vulnerable Australians, while Malcolm’s mates and the big corporations enjoy the benefits.” Said Johnston.

We already new this budget had an agenda against education, but tonight we’ve confirmed this budget will gut Australia’s welfare system as well.

NUS Welfare Officer, Jill Molloy said “This Budget has totally demonized and framed young people and welfare recipients as criminals, drug users and a lesser group of people that deserve to go without. “

“The demerit point system, the continuation of the cashless welfare cards, the number of streamlining measures and the drug tests are cause for concern; these are measures that should be rolled out with proper review and not just as a pre-election cuts and splash cash bonanza” Said Molloy.

Young people are being left behind by this Government.

NUS has organised protests on May 17 against these horrendous attacks in major cities across Australia.

Protest: https://www.facebook.com/events/1811870955799949/

The NUS petition to Stop the War on Young People has already received over 5,300 signatures.

Petition: https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/stop-the-war-on-students

• Young people are job seekers not dole bludgers!

Tonight’s budget has revealed a plan to change Australia’s entire safety net to punish vulnerable Australians when in fact- not everyone is a dole bludger, a couch sitter or a drug user.

The introduction of drug and alcohol tests for welfare recipients, a demerit system and a push to cashless welfare cards reveal just how little this government respects or trusts young people and how happy they are to attack those who they feel to be ‘less deserving’.

“These humiliating drug tests will place people on cashless welfare cards if they test positive; telling Australian’s how they can and cannot spend their money is not giving a fair go.” Said Johnston

“Denying disability support to those whose condition has been caused by past substance abuse just kicks people while they are down.” Said NUS Welfare Officer, Jill Molloy “A welfare overhaul of this degree is a cause for concern and measures should be made with proper review, not with budget savings and votes in mind.”

We need a welfare system that picks people up, rather than pushes them below the poverty line. If we’re talking about Australian values; giving those less fortunate a helping hand until they get back on their feet is what government expenditure should be about.

“Why are we punishing people for not finding jobs when the jobs aren’t there?”Said Jill Molloy, NUS Welfare Officer. “This whole budget has had a focus on ‘directing people to employment’ but it has no real vision for actually addressing unemployment”

A major concern is how the DHS will cope with such an overhaul given the already problematic understaffing.

“Given the government’s fondness of automation and moving things online; what does this mean for the pay delays and recent debt debacle?” Said Molloy.

NUS has organised protests on May 17 against these horrendous attacks in major cities across Australia.

Protest: https://www.facebook.com/events/1811870955799949/

The NUS petition to Stop the War on Young People has already received over 5,300 signatures.

Petition: https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/stop-the-war-on-students
Sophie Johnston, National President | National Union of Students