By Alesha Capone
Wyndham resident Caryn Hearsch is calling on the federal government not to reduce JobSeeker payments back to the pre-pandemic rate next March.
Ms Hearsch, a spokesperson for the Raise the Rate for Good campaign, is calling for JobSeeker (formerly Newstart) to remain at $560 per week, rather than being cut back to the pre-pandemic weekly amount of $250.20.
The campaign is an initiative of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).
According to The Smith Family, a single Australian living on less than $426.30 a week is living below the poverty line.
Ms Hearsch set-up a table outside Coles in Watton Street last Thursday to collect signatures for the ACOSS campaign, which is encouraging supporters to sign Christmas cards saying “no to poverty” to send to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Sydney office.
Ms Hearsch said she worked as a private medical secretary for 52 years before injuring her shoulder in a workplace accident.
Ms Hearsch said that for the past eight years, she has been surviving on the Newstart allowance, which effectively forces recipients to live on $40 per day.
Ms Hearsch said while this would be possible for people who did not have to pay rent or a mortgage, most people could not survive on this.
“It’s impossible to live on this amount of money – and there is a huge difference between existing and living,” she said.
Ms Hearsch said she wanted to meet the Mr Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to explain to them how hard it was for people living on the pre-pandemic rate of Newstart.
“I honestly don’t know how Mr Frydenberg and Mr Morrison can go to sleep in their warm, comfortable beds and not give a thought to somebody out there who cannot afford that right,” she said.
Ms Hearsch said she wanted to thank the manager of Coles, Troy, and her fellow campaigner Vincent for their support last Thursday.
Mr Morrison’s office was contacted for comment.
Details: raisetherate.org.au
