St Vincent de Paul Society Australia genetic logo

The St Vincent de Paul Society offers over 200 services that help people in need.

Safeguarding

Find Help

Membership NSW

Volunteering NSW

Careers NSW

Join the Social Justice Network

Vinnies Service Medallion

Vinnies Youth NSW

Donations of goods and services NSW

Gifts in Wills

Philanthropy

Fundraise for Vinnies NSW

Clothing drives, toy collections and food hampers

Corporate partnerships NSW

Financial donations NSW

Sponsorship NSW

Cause related marketing campaigns NSW

Workplace giving - community support NSW

Vinnies and the Return and Earn Scheme

Vinnies Bag O Rags

Vinnies re/CYCLE range

Vinnies Used Cooking Oil Recycling (VUCOR)

Get involved

Get Involved

<h1>Vinnies Shops</h1>
Everything you buy or donate inspires change in your local community.

Vinnies Shops

Shops

Social Justice Statements

Reports and Submissions

Modern Anti-Slavery Statements

Reconciliation Action Plan

Uluru Statement Resources

Energy NSW

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

Advocacy

About us

Contact Us

History NSW

NSW Strategic Plan

Leadership NSW

Policies NSW

Mission and Formation

About Us

News and stories

NSW Media Releases

Vision Magazine

Impact Magazine

NSW Blog

Your Kind of Good Magazine

NSW Disaster Reports

NSW Annual Reports

News and Stories

| Vinnies

Home

ACT & surrounds

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

National Council

SVdP Housing Australia

St Vincent de Paul Society NSW deeply disappointed with JobSeeker pittance

An increase to JobSeeker of $50 a fortnight or less than $4 a day is massive disappointment for people who depend on it and groups like Vinnies who help them.
“This works out to be $3.57 a day, it’s a tiny increase and will not solve the underlying problem people on JobSeeker experience – being trapped in poverty.
“On top of this, the Government is working to make JobSeeker more punitive.
“The new standards for mutual obligations are exploitative and this hotline to dob in people receiving JobSeeker is entirely mean-spirited.
“They are sacrificing people’s dignity at the altar of a tyrannical level of bean counting,” St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO, Jack de Groot, said.
“The increase to JobSeeker is less than the price of a three-litre bottle of milk or a loaf of bread – it is a pittance.
“When we say people on JobSeeker can’t afford the basics like rent and food, this is what we mean.
“St Vincent de Paul NSW has been campaigning to raise the rate above poverty levels and this is a huge disappointment for us.
“It means people will have little choice but to seek our help – around a third of the people who come to us for support are on JobSeeker.
“People on unemployment benefits should not be driven to charity because they are left in poverty.
“Such a small increase to JobSeeker is against the advice of experts, even the Reserve Bank.
“With its sustained low JobSeeker rate, the Government is choosing to enforce poverty on people,” Mr de Groot said.
“Charities like the St Vincent de Paul Society saw the positive difference that the coronavirus supplement made for so many of the people we assist.
“The Federal Government's decision will mean that many of these vulnerable people will once again be struggling to make ends meet,” Brooke Simmons, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Vice President (Social Justice), said.
Media contact: Lachlan Jones | 0417 446 430

Rich Text