Fed: ACOSS warns government not to take from the poor
CANBERRA, April 15 AAP - The federal government was planning to take from the poorand give to the rich, Australia's peak welfare body said today.
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) warned the federal government it wouldbe wrong to go ahead with mooted Budget cuts that would hurt people with disabilities,the unemployed and the chronically ill.
ACOSS president Andrew McCallum said more than $2 billion was wasted each year on whathe described as upper class welfare while the government was proposing to further disadvantageAustralians on low incomes.
He said possible Budget savings this year included cuts to the disability support pensionsthat could affect more than 600,000 people, reductions in employment assistance programsand cuts in funding for housing for people on low incomes.
Mr McCallum said a planned increase in charges for medicines would affect chronicallysick people as well as up to 1.7 million aged pensioners.
"Budget cuts that would hurt the most disadvantaged Australians are not necessary,especially while $2 billion is wasted through government handouts to high income earners,"
he said.
He said those handouts included a proposed reduction in the superannuation surchargefor people on incomes of more than $85,000, raising the tax free threshold for a retiredcouple to more than $32,000, and the 30 per cent health insurance rebate.
"Social programs for low income people should not be cut at all especially while upperclass welfare remains in place," Mr McCallum said.
The federal Budget will be handed down on May 14.
AAP sm/jmd/de
KEYWORD: ACOSS
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