By Roxanne Fitzgerald

Cuts to the pandemic Jobseeker payment program scheduled for later this month will see thousands of Territorians living below the poverty line, an NT human rights organisation says.

According to the latest federal data, released in July, more than 26,400 Territorians are reliant on the unemployment benefit – that’s the highest percentage of working age people in all states and territories relying on the coronavirus supplement.

At the onset of the pandemic, the Federal Government effectively doubled the old Newstart rate, which was the first time the benefit had been increased in more than 25 years.

Now, thousands of Territorians will face an income loss of $150 per week.

NT human rights lawyer Adrianne Walters said people on the benefit face a bleak future surviving on $40 a day.

“We cannot go back to the indignity of people scraping to survive,” she said.

“The Government should permanently raise payments and end discrimination in the social security system to ensure every person has enough money to live a decent life.”

Need to avert the ‘mounting homelessness, mental health and domestic violence crises’: ACOSS

The scheme keeping food on the table for millions of Australians will fall from $1,100 to $800 a fortnight on September 25.

The Prime Minister said the program will be reviewed again before December and it is expected a coronavirus supplement will likely continue into next year but at what amount is still unclear.

Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) CEO Cassandra Goldie said the federal government’s decision is out of touch with broad support across business, unions and the community, who have long been calling for a permanent, adequate level of income support.

“The decision to reduce the JobSeeker Payment in September will hurt millions of people just keeping their heads above water,” Ms Goldie said.

She said the best way to stimulate the economy and to support those hit hardest by the pandemic recession is to put in place a permanent, adequate rate of JobSeeker in the October Budget.

“Not only will this stimulate the economy by giving people and businesses the certainty they need to recover, but it will help avert the mounting homelessness, mental health and domestic violence crises,” she said.

“Failing to act on homelessness, mental health and domestic violence now by ensuring people can cover the basics on this long, hard road to recovery, would have a tragic human impact and would also lead to increased costs on the Budget over time.”

Raise the Rate: Peak NT Indigenous organisations call for permanent increase

Joe Martin-Jard, CEO of the Central Land Council said he has seen increased sales of fresh fruit and vegetables in remote community stores and a decrease in requests for emergency relief since the coronavirus supplement came into effect.

The latest data shows the Territory’s most disadvantaged population pays an average of 60 per cent more for their groceries.

The NT Health Department’s last comparative shop found a basket of healthy food estimated to cost $319 more in a remote community store than in a Darwin supermarket.

“The temporary coronavirus supplement has improved the health of Aboriginal people in remote communities,” Ms Martin-Jard said.

“Raising incomes for those who are unable to work or where few jobs exist is absolutely critical but must go hand in hand with a serious commitment to jobs creation in the bush.

“For those who can and want to work we have a pathway into the world of properly paid employment – we just need the government to act on our remote job creation plan.”

The Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory, the NT Council of Social Services and Human Rights Law Centre signed an open statement in July as part of the Raise the Rate campaign, calling for the JobSeeker Payment to increase to $560 per week.

They say Indigenous families living in the Northern Territory, of whom almost half live below the poverty line, have been hit particularly hard by inadequate unemployment support and remote area allowance payments.

And that the inadequate support payments prior to the pandemic trapped many in ill-health.

“I have seen first-hand the ridiculously high prices in remote communities and the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables on the shelves,” NTCOSS CEO Deborah Di Natale said.

“This level of inequity should not be tolerated in a country that prides itself on a fair go.”