Unions Tasmania is throwing its support behind todays national day of action coordinated by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in pursuit of permanently raising the rate of the JobSeeker payment.

Unions Tasmania supports JobSeeker remaining at the current rate inclusive of the coronavirus supplement.

Shocking statistics for Tasmanian jobseekers were released this week that showed 39,000 Tasmanians are currently in receipt of Jobseeker or Youth Allowance with 20 workers vying for every 1 job that is advertised here.

This demonstrates how far Tasmania is from recovery and how critical a liveable rate of JobSeeker will be to support Tasmanians, both now and into the future.

The poverty level payment of $40 a day pre-pandemic was actually a barrier to unemployed workers getting a job. We know that people could barely afford to feed

themselves and put a roof over their head let alone support their search for work, said Unions Tasmania Secretary, Jessica Munday.

In raising the rate of JobSeeker during the pandemic, the Morrison Government was effectively admitting that it wasnt a liveable payment. They cant go back to $40 a day now.

Any reduction in JobSeeker will hamper our economic recoveMediry and will devastate the tens of thousands of Tasmanians relying on the payment. The Morrison Government needs to raise the rate for good, said Ms Munday.

For further comment: Jessica Munday 0417 454 809

Media Release - Unions Tasmania supports permanent increase to JobSeeker.pdf