URGENT     URGENT     URGENT
REQUEST FOR ENDORSEMENT OF WELFARE SUBMISSION
Deadline cob Friday, 17th December
PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY - WE ARE LOOKING FOR BOTH ORGANISATIONS AND
INDIVIDUALS TO ENDORSE

Response to Discussion Paper
THE CHALLENGE OF WELFARE DEPENDENCY IN THE 21st CENTURY
from
WOMEN'S ELECTORAL LOBBY AUSTRALIA
YWCA
SOLE PARENTS UNION
WETTANK

TITLE: Constructing a 21st Century social support system

Call began 15 December 1999

The briefing paper is below.
The full submission is available on the web at - 
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~nwmc/welfare.htm#top2

ENDORSMENT OF SUBMISSION

I, _____________________________________________ [name and position]

of ____________________________________________ [organisation if applic]

Address ____________________________________________________

State/Territory: ______________ P'code: ___________________

Phone _____________________________________

Fax _____________________________________

Email ___________________________________

Please check box as appropriate:

[ ] endorse the WEL submission in response on
        endorse as (you may endorse in both capacities):
[    ] an individual
[    ] on behalf of my organisation

Please email completed form by midday 17 December 1999 to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or
fax to 02 6247 4669 (Women's Electoral Lobby Australia)

Below is the working framework for the submission and the terms of
reference for the inquiry.

SUBMISSION TO WELFARE INQUIRY - working framework

Introduction: The feminist perspectives, why gender matters.

Summary of recommendations

1. A socially sustainable society
The need for forms of income support to be seen as ongoing because there 
are people in the community who will not generate sufficient income, so 
this is not welfare dependency but the necessary support systems. Social 
and other capitals a new set of measures including issues of ethics, 
accountability etc.

2. The changing economic and technological pressures which affect paid work 
and unpaid work and gender relations

insecure jobs
* reduced public sector employment
* more casualisation
* etc

3. The effect of changing gender relations:
* smaller families
* more women in paid jobs
* an aging population
* more demands for unpaid work,

4. The changing roles of government services and payments
* the last ten years of reductions of eligibility, targeting, service cuts etc
* reductions in trust
* the backlash against welfare
* the tax reduction problems
* social engineering by payments

Scenarios
* the possibilities of further change

Section B

The problems and solutions

NB issues of difference will be incorporated in each issue, with separate
sections on same sex, disability and indigenous needs.

The particular groups/ overlapping and different needs for services,
payments for each below

Young women
* In education
* In Training
* In paid work
* With babies
* in limbo

Mothering and paid work
=B7 Maternity leave
* Young children
* The school age child
* Sole parenting
* Caring for differently abled children

Women with disabilities
* Services
* Child care
* Aged care
* Carer support

Access to education and training
* transport
* location

     Geographic factors.
* Housing
* Transport

Detailed recommendations

Terms of Reference

Reference Group on Welfare Reform
"Community, business and government working together"

1. The Government wishes to provide ways of assisting people who are
disadvantaged that strike a better balance between its ongoing commitment
to maintain a strong safety net and its responsibility to develop policies
and strategies allowing all Australians to participate fully in the
workforce where they are able. In this context, the Government is concerned
that there is an increasing reliance by Australians on welfare, with around
1 in 5 people of workforce age on income support payments.

2. Six principles have been identified in order to guide the reform
required in this area:

* Maintaining equity, simplicity, transparency and sustainability;
* Establishing better incentives for people receiving social security
payments, so that work, education and training are rewarded;
* Creating greater opportunities for people to increase self-reliance and
capacity-building, rather than merely providing a passive safety net;
* Expecting people on income support to help themselves and contribute to
society through increased social and economic participation in a framework
of Mutual Obligation;
* Providing choices and support for individuals and families with more
tailored assistance that focuses on prevention and early intervention; and
* Maintaining the Government's disciplined approach to fiscal policy.

3. To ensure a process of consultation with the community, the Government
has established a Reference Group comprised of representatives from the
community sector, business, academia and government. The Group will provide
advice to enable the Government to develop a comprehensive Green Paper on
welfare reform.

4. The Reference Group has the following terms of reference:

a) Adopting the reform principles established by the Government, provide
advice on:
i. Options for change to income support arrangements aimed at preventing
and reducing welfare dependency by those of workforce age; and
ii. Other options relating to the provision of associated services,
including employment, education and training, that would assist in
preventing and reducing welfare dependency.
b) In providing this advice, the Reference Group will give particular
consideration to:
i. the broader application of Mutual Obligation;
ii. demographic changes;
iii. sustainability of the current system;
iv. the particular incentive effects associated with the design of social
security payments for people of workforce age; and
v. international best practice.
c) In framing its advice the Reference Group will draw on community input
and call for submissions from interest groups and the broader community.

5. An interim Report from the Reference Group will be provided to the
Minister for Family and Community Services early in the year 2000, with the
final draft to be provided to the Minister by 30 June 2000.

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WEL Australia is an independent organisation dedicated to creating a
society where women's participation and potential are unrestricted,
acknowledged and respected and where women and men share equally in
society's responsibilities and rewards.
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