Welfare
Exclusive
Social services
Ditch the ‘digital workhouse’: Shorten sets sights on myGov
The government will audit myGov with the aim of making it more user-friendly and less frustrating and time-consuming to use.
- by Katina Curtis
Latest
Exclusive
Victoria
State warns private group homes it will act over ‘abuse and neglect’
The state government is cracking down on privately run disability homes in Victoria, closing one after findings of bullying, coercion and abuse of residents.
- by Royce Millar and Jewel Topsfield
Opinion
Australia votes
Why modern politics goads us to be greedy, and forget the needy
We’ve been encouraged to see elections as transactional, not aspirational, which doesn’t leave much room for policies that seek to improve the lot of those most in need.
- by Ross Gittins
Exclusive
Domestic violence
NSW domestic violence services raise warning over $5000 grant program
A sector leader says there could be ‘dire consequences for victim-survivors’ if the program does not improve.
- by Lucy Cormack
‘Bureaucratic nightmare’: NDIS putting lives at risk, say advocacy groups
The agency running the NDIS has been criticised for wasting money and in many cases failing to meet the needs of clients.
- by Andrew Taylor
Labor decision to shelve possible JobSeeker improvement ‘disappointing’
Welfare groups and charities have criticised Labor’s decision to drop a review of the JobSeeker rate in a bid to head off a clash with the Coalition over unemployment benefits.
- by Rachel Clun
How a million Australians could be lifted out of poverty through tweaks to tax
St Vincent de Paul Society says increasing welfare payments to Australia’s poorest could be funded by tweaks to the tax system, in research ahead of the election.
- by Rachel Clun
NSW to go it alone on flood funding after federal government refused
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will unveil a new funding package for people whose homes have been destroyed by floods in Lismore.Â
- by Alexandra Smith
‘Impact is unfathomable’: Doctors join call to raise age of criminal responsibility
The Royal Australian College of Physicians says the age of criminal responsibility must be raised to 14 years, as politicians stall on a national reform process.
- by Dana Daniel and Cameron Gooley
Exclusive
Indigenous
Thousands of people still on ‘racist’ work for the dole
The federal Greens have raised concerns over the number of people still working for the dole in remote Indigenous communities despite it being voluntary.
- by Cameron Gooley
Exclusive
Anne Ruston
Mediscare redux: Top union targeted pensioners in shadowy online ad campaign
Online ads from a major union point users to a site falsely claiming the government plans to keep pensioners from buying Christmas presents.
- by Nick Bonyhady