Jenny Macklin leads Aussie women's powerful plea to Anthony Albanese ahead of ... trends now
A group of 99 prominent Australian women have banded together to pen a powerful letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, demanding his government take meaningful action on the country's lacklustre social security payments in this month's budget.
The group - leaders from the business, politics, community services and Indigenous affairs sectors - called on the Prime Minister to deliver 'a substantial increase to Jobseeker and Youth Allowance' in this federal budget.
The urgent plea comes amid mounting pressure on the government to do more to address gender-based violence, and follows a group of leading economists last week calling on Labor to bolster Jobseeker or risk 'entrenching disadvantage'.
The government-appointed Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee made lifting the rates its priority recommendation in its 2024 report.
'Women escaping violence need to know that there will be a decent social security net for them,' committee chair and former Labor minister Jenny Macklin- wrote in the new letter.
Australian female leaders have written to Anthony Albanese calling for change
The women urged the PM to do more about to address gender violence and boost Jobseeker payments. He's pictured speaking at the No More! National Rally Against Violence march at Parliament House in Canberra last Sunday
Also among the signatures are Chief Executive Women president Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, former Indi MP Cathy McGowan, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner June Oscar, and education union president Correna Haythorpe.
An estimated 500,000 women receive the Jobseeker payment, currently at $55 a day, and Youth Allowance, currently at $45 a day.
The group wrote 'fixing the adequacy of Jobseeker and Youth Allowance to deliver basic economic security for women cannot wait'.
Last year, the government made changes to the single parenting payment, ensuring payments continued until the youngest child was 14, up from eight.
In their letter, the group said that
