Two of Australia's top labour market and welfare academics say there is no evidence doubling the dole at the height of the pandemic discouraged unemployed workers from getting another job, amid debate about the future rate of JobSeeker.
Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy professor Peter Whiteford and University of Melbourne professor Jeff Borland told the Community Affairs Legislation Committee on Wednesday the available data did not show the federal government's extra $550-a-fortnight coronavirus supplement to JobSeeker was a disincentive for unemployed Australians to find another job.Credit:The base rate of JobSeeker, formerly known as Newstart, is worth $565.
Professor Borland has researched the effects the increase in JobSeeker had on the incentives to accept work, including looking at employment vacancies and the rate of take-up of work, and said he found there could be a "substantial increase" in the dole without affecting peoples' willingness to get a job.
He acknowledged there had been anecdotal concerns from businesses having difficulties employing staff, but said this did not necessarily constitute evidence of a disincentive nationally and there was "always some proportion of employers" saying they're finding it hard to recruit. The comments add to a fierce debate about cuts to the supplement, which was reduced to $250 for the final quarter of 2020 and has been extended to March next year at a lower rate of $150 a fortnight.
JennieDuke The thing is when you're on JobSeeker, you have to show proof via JobActive that you're actively applying for work that fits your skill level otherwise your payments will be delayed. I'm constantly applying for work so I'm not sure where this proof of disincentive is coming from.
JennieDuke Just interview small business owners...
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