Down but not out after the election, Jessica Harrison vows to continue her campaign for those living in poverty on the Newstart allowance.
By Jessica Harrison
What result were you hoping for as an advocate for an increase in the Newstart allowance?
I was hoping for an increase in the ALP/Greens influence in Parliament. The Greens have already agreed to raising Newstart and the ALP policy was to review the Newstart rate as soon as possible after the election, if they were successful.
What was your immediate response to the election result?
Despair. How could people have such short memories of all the destructive policies of Morrison and co? How could a last-minute fear campaign convince the population to vote against their own interests? It takes only a few minutes to vote – but the long-term result of a few marks on a ballot paper means grinding poverty will continue for those of us living below the poverty line.
What have your thoughts been in the two weeks since then?
I have become accustomed to despairing of governments on many issues close to my heart – after all, the Newstart rate has been kept low for 25 years by Labor and Liberal governments alike.
Will you continue your advocacy work or do you see it as a lost cause?
We are determined to redouble our efforts to work together to make our lives bearable in the years to come. As well as organising together, rent strikes, squatting, bin-dipping and free food kitchens are some of many collective responses to daily poverty.
When I was in the streets of Wonthaggi getting signatures to the "Raise Newstart" petition for the Council, I met many people who signed after realising it was an issue that affected their lives. We need to achieve small victories and inspire each other for larger ones.
Will the result change your approach?
No. Lobbying governments is only one part of the campaign. Cassandra Goldie of the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) has been a consistent advocate for raising Newstart. ACOSS is not going anywhere. Neither are the municipal councils that have already supported Newstart being raised, the Australian Local Government Association, the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, former PM John Howard, former opposition leader John Hewson AM, churches and welfare groups.
Deloitte Access Economics found raising Newstart would have a range of “prosperity effects” and lead to 12,000 more people being employed by the 2020-21 financial year.
The Morrison government needs to stop punishing the poor and scapegoating us for the woes of capitalism.
Jessica Harrison is a member of the Australian Unemployed Workers Union. In March she successfully lobbied Bass Coast Shire Council to support an increase in the Newstart allowance.
What result were you hoping for as an advocate for an increase in the Newstart allowance?
I was hoping for an increase in the ALP/Greens influence in Parliament. The Greens have already agreed to raising Newstart and the ALP policy was to review the Newstart rate as soon as possible after the election, if they were successful.
What was your immediate response to the election result?
Despair. How could people have such short memories of all the destructive policies of Morrison and co? How could a last-minute fear campaign convince the population to vote against their own interests? It takes only a few minutes to vote – but the long-term result of a few marks on a ballot paper means grinding poverty will continue for those of us living below the poverty line.
What have your thoughts been in the two weeks since then?
I have become accustomed to despairing of governments on many issues close to my heart – after all, the Newstart rate has been kept low for 25 years by Labor and Liberal governments alike.
Will you continue your advocacy work or do you see it as a lost cause?
We are determined to redouble our efforts to work together to make our lives bearable in the years to come. As well as organising together, rent strikes, squatting, bin-dipping and free food kitchens are some of many collective responses to daily poverty.
When I was in the streets of Wonthaggi getting signatures to the "Raise Newstart" petition for the Council, I met many people who signed after realising it was an issue that affected their lives. We need to achieve small victories and inspire each other for larger ones.
Will the result change your approach?
No. Lobbying governments is only one part of the campaign. Cassandra Goldie of the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) has been a consistent advocate for raising Newstart. ACOSS is not going anywhere. Neither are the municipal councils that have already supported Newstart being raised, the Australian Local Government Association, the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, former PM John Howard, former opposition leader John Hewson AM, churches and welfare groups.
Deloitte Access Economics found raising Newstart would have a range of “prosperity effects” and lead to 12,000 more people being employed by the 2020-21 financial year.
The Morrison government needs to stop punishing the poor and scapegoating us for the woes of capitalism.
Jessica Harrison is a member of the Australian Unemployed Workers Union. In March she successfully lobbied Bass Coast Shire Council to support an increase in the Newstart allowance.