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By Kathleen Carmody
Unemployment and “the lack of secure and adequately paying jobs” are the major contributors to inequality and poverty in Australia, says Toby O’Connor of Catholic
Welfare Australia.
“Too many Australians are denied the income necessary to meet the daily costs of living and the longer-term needs of their families.”
Catholic Welfare has joined the Australian
Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and seven major charities in calling for a focus on jobs in the coming federal election.
And it has called on the major political parties to reveal their policies on the
issue.
“Australians have a right to know how a future government will assist the unemployed as well as the strategies proposed for generating jobs for individuals and groups who endure high levels of
unemployment,” Mr O’Connor said. “Clearly the policies of the past decade have not worked well enough.”
Michael Raper of ACOSS echoed Catholic Welfare’s call, urging the parties to make increased jobs growth
and reduced unemployment the top national priority for the next three years.
“Through our daily work we see the impact of unemployment at the coalface,” he said. “We see the people who, through no fault of
their own, cannot get a job. We pick up the pieces, assist where we can.
“But our frustration is growing as we know we are only treating the symptoms.”
ACOSS and Catholic Welfare Australia joined
Anglicare Australia, Australian Jewish Community Services, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the Salvation Army, the St Vincent de Paul Society, the Smith Family and Uniting Care Australia in a joint declaration that
the top national priority must be to create jobs and break down the barriers that deny decent and secure jobs for many Australians.
“Governments at all levels, but particularly the Federal Government, must
provide leadership and take positive action,” they said.
The charities said governments must seek to create and maintain real jobs when they make decisions about the products and services they purchase and
the services they provide, and must target investment to areas that have suffered from structural disinvestment.
“A strong public sector can create and maintain jobs by playing a major role in public and
community service growth – and provide needed community services such as health, housing, education, training and social welfare services,” they said.
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