Leaving it extraordinarily close to July 2nd (when we all trundle down to our local primary school and chuck a piece of paper in a box so they’ll let us wolf down a burnt sausage nestled softly in a piece of the cheapest white bread money can buy), the Coalition have announced plans to recoup cash for the budget with a crackdown on welfare.
The government reckons they’re owed about $3.5 billion from overpayments and welfare fraud, and that chasing after it will help bankroll the $3.4 billion worth of election promises they’ve made.
Treasurer Scott Morrison says that this doesn’t mean they’re cutting back on welfare, just making sure it’s going to the right folks:
“We are not weakening the system, we at strengthening it, so those entitled to the payment and support which are important get that support, but ensuring that the system doesn’t have the leakage and the waste and the overpayments or the abuse of the system which at the end of the day cost Australian taxpayers.”
They’re pretty vague about how the crackdown is going to go down, but essentially say it will be a combination of more stringent checks when signing up for payments and “data analysis” to better figure out when details need to be updated.
.@ScottMorrisonMP says the govt’s changes to welfare will make the system more flexible #ausvotes https://t.co/34z0udyiK3
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) June 28, 2016
Apparently they’re planning on taking debts owed out from tax returns, so, if Centrelink has been overpaying you, maybe don’t get your hopes up about buying a PS4 around tax time.
ScoMo clarified that these measures would also be targeting pensioners, on account of they are also welfare recipients.
Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen says Labor will be asking how this differs to the $5.7 billion of savings from “better compliance” that the government announced in last year’s budget.
Given their vagueness around the details it’s very hard to check the validity of these numbers, and this sure is a convenient time to announce some extra cash for your fancy new budget plan.
Source: Sky News.
Photo: Getty Images / Stefan Postles.
