Availability of welfare not the reason for poverty

Catholic Welfare Australia says that the level of poverty in Australia today and in the future can be reduced, if not eradicated, by making the choice to do so.

Catholic Welfare Australia will be representing the experiences and interests of its membership of over 53 Catholic social welfare organisations when it delivers its message to the Senate Community Affairs Committee at 1.15pm today during the Public Hearing of its Inquiry into Poverty and Financial Hardship being held in Canberra. 

“There are some think-tanks at the moment publicly espousing the view that poverty is a result of the availability of welfare,” said Spokesperson for Catholic Welfare Australia, Fr Joe Caddy. “This is simply not true. Poverty is the result of a number of factors such as the lack of decent and appropriate employment, affordable housing and rising household and services costs.”

“Only governments have the fiscal and legislative means to approach the complex social problem that poverty presents and it is time for politicians at Federal and State levels to set aside political differences and make some hard decisions about how they are going to tackle poverty in Australia,” he said. 

In its submission to the Senate Inquiry, “Poor Choices”, Catholic Welfare Australia calls on the Federal Government to reduce adult poverty by 50% of current levels and child poverty by 75% of current levels over a generation. (Go to www.catholicwelfare.com.au for submission.)

“We are calling on Governments to restructure the tax and social security system, to remove poverty traps, increase job creation and employment prospects, to support low-income families and fight rural poverty through specific tax measures,” said Fr Caddy. 

“Just ignoring poverty won’t make it go away,” he concluded.

MEDIA NOTE: Fr Joe Caddy will be available for doorstop interviews outside the Senate Committee hearing room, 2S3, after the hearing session at around 2pm.

For an interview please call: Jackie Brady, Communications Officer, 0417 220 779