The Latest Breaking News from Cassandra Goldie

Labor says it’s looking for ways to ease cost-of-living pressures. Just don’t mention the stage-three tax cuts

The cuts are already baked into the RBA’s forecasts and economists say there is little point looking at alternatives

The Guardian - AU · Jan 13, 2024

Labor could raise welfare payments for cost-of-living relief without stoking inflation, economists say

Albanese government would need to couple any increases in unemployment benefits and pensions with savings, experts say

The Guardian - AU · Jan 3, 2024

Australia’s wealthiest 20% worth 90 times the country’s poorest, new report reveals

Superannuation and property investment fuels growing inequality, with the richest fifth worth an average of $3.2m

The Guardian - AU · Sep 26, 2023

Peter Dutton proposes letting JobSeeker recipients work more without affecting payments instead of $40 increase

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says JobSeeker recipients should be allowed to work more hours without it eating into their payments, as he responds to the federal budget.

ABC News · May 12, 2023

Prime minister flags future changes to JobSeeker and other support payments

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is defending an increase to government support payments, but says "reform is never done" and JobSeeker may be revisited in future budgets, as social advocates say less than $3 a day extra is "insulting".

ABC News · May 10, 2023

Electricity bill relief receives mixed reviews as federal government reveals $14.6b cost of living package

The $14.6 billion package over the forward estimates includes $1.5 billion in electricity bill relief for more than 5 million households and a further 1 million small businesses.

ABC News · May 7, 2023

Albanese faces growing pressure to lift JobSeeker payment

Pressure to increase welfare payment rates is ramping up as more than 300 advocates, politicians and notable Australians join the fight.

The New Daily · Apr 25, 2023

Labor backbenchers join push for JobSeeker lift ahead of federal budget

A group of Labor backbenchers, including two first-time MPs, sign an open letter calling for a lift to the JobSeeker rate as the federal government finalises next month's federal budget.

ABC News · Apr 25, 2023

Katy Gallagher ‘unchanged’ on stage-three tax cuts, won’t commit to raising jobseeker

Leaving welfare payments at current rate ‘unconscionable and grossly irresponsible’, says anti-poverty body

The Guardian - AU · Apr 23, 2023

Raising dire JobSeeker rates looms as a character test for Albanese government

Government faced with growing warnings that not substantially lifting welfare payments in the budget will be to fail a test of its character.

The New Daily · Apr 19, 2023