The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) supports lifting the single Newstart payment by a minimum of $75 a week, along with comparable increases in rent assistance and the indexation of payments to align with wages growth as this would yield widespread health benefits for disadvantaged Australians. There is compelling evidence that people in poverty are much more likely to suffer poor health, higher risk of chronic disease and mental illness. At the same time there is also evidence linking higher incomes for the unemployed and other groups who are disadvantaged to better outcomes on health indicators.
Click on the link below to read CHF's submission.