Today the Productivity Commission releases its latest report on Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage, which shows only 13 of 45 measures showed any improvement and seven went backwards.
Centrelink
Budget breakdown: making a society more fragile
The federal budget uses social stereotyping to show the government as tough.
Welfare: government fails its social democracy obligations
This is not a Labor government budget in any serious sense. It does not take from the rich, except in very minor ways, and its redistributive tendencies are almost reversed.
‘Chaos’ predicted as Centrelink sleeps in an extra half hour
About 400 Centrelink customer service centres around the country are bracing for chaos on Monday morning after the national welfare agency unilaterally changed its opening time from 8am to 8.30am without informing clients.
Oz taxpayers picking up the tab for UK pensioners
There has never been much public sympathy for the frozen pensioners in the UK. It seems they are envied and imagined to be endlessly sipping sundowners on golf club verandahs, writes Ava Hubble.
Pensioners, even as Santa, hit in the hip pocket
Last September the federal government announced changes to social security legislation, which, incredibly, has left many aged pensioners considerably worse off, writes Ava Hubble
Discrimination goes beyond Centrelink’s entitlement ‘pink list’
The reforms to Centrelink’s entitlements for same-sex relationships takes money from gay people on low incomes and gives it to richer couples, writes Daniel Stubbs.
Community programs done best by lower-level operators
Programs that deliver services to communities tend to be better carried out at lower levels for good reason, writes Stephen Bartos.
The pink list: Centrelink couples register scaring the pants off gays
I know it’s supposed to be all hugs and puppies for the gay community these days, but the ‘pink list’ being created by the government through Centrelink is a huge cause for concern, writes Sue-Ann Post.
Failure to restore Racial Discrimination Act means double jeopardy for Aboriginal people
The Government should withdraw the proposed paternalistic social security legislation, pass the Greens’ Bill to reinstate the RDA and start a wider discussion on how to achieve real welfare reform.
Australia: a nation of dibber dobbers
We Aussies like to think of ourselves as a bit anti-authoritarian, but the data says otherwise, writes Ben Packham: tens of thousands of us are secretly dobbing in our neighbors to the ATO, Centrelink, Crime Stoppers and the EPA.
Labor brings welfare quarantining to a Centrelink near you!
Rather than attempting to punish struggling, low-income families, the government should be dealing with the underlying causes of neglect and delivering proper support for families in crisis, writes Fernando de Freitas.
Intervention’s welfare management to extend across Australia
The Federal Government will shortly announce the extension of income management Australia-wide as part of its reintroduction of the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The Left
Crikey readers debate Guy Rundle’s views on the Left. Plus, discrimination debate and the full time mess that is dealing with Centrelink.
Fighting for a fair deal from Centrelink
Dealing with Centrelink is a full-time job for someone applying for a Disability Support Pension, getting punted from payment to payment, filling out forms and going to pointless reviews and assessments, writes an anonymous disability carer.
Dealing with Centrelink is a full-time job for some pensioners
Aged pensioners who supplement their pensions with paid employment, even occasionally, must now report their circumstances to Centrelink every fortnight, writes Ava Hubble.
Tips and rumours: Lobbyists on the move
Labor spinner Alex Cramb will be returning to lobbying outfit Government Relations Australia next week, a tipster tells Crikey today.
No fairy floss, no show, for NT kids under income management
Thousands of Aboriginal Territorians, half of whose income is controlled through income quarantining and management, won’t be able to access money through their Basic Cards to get into the Royal Darwin Show this week.
Tips and rumours: Something NQR about Australian of the Year ad?
In Tips & Rumours today: Foster’s feels the pinch as premium wine sales drop, white kid plays Lionel Rose?, Centrelink heading overseas, Sunday Age gets racy…
Tips and rumours: The SMH drops out of London
Regarding Monday’s commentary on The Sydney Morning Herald’s rapidly dwindling world coverage, it’s worth noting the reduced SMH presence in London in the past few weeks, says one Crikey tipster.
Political snippets: Find the correct unemployment number
Richard Farmer un-fudges the unemployment figures and welcomes the return of Jeff Kennett to Page One, where his hair belongs.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The word ‘pandemic’ becomes a pandemic
Crikey readers lay into the media’s obsession with pandemics, Richard Pratt, and Bernard Keane’s uncanny resemblance to Samuel Beckett.
Tips and rumours: A new logo for NSW?
Is there a better way to bust a recession that pay a design team squillions to come up with a new logo?
