Welfare Reform – Australia

Welfare crackdown misses targets, By Adele Horn, March 11, 2010, Sydney Morning Herald: “The welfare-to-work reform implemented under the Howard government failed to achieve its objectives, leaving three of the four target groups – disability pensioners, the very long-term unemployed and mature-age unemployed – little or no better off, an official report shows. Sole parents fared better in the job market after the reforms began in July 2006. The numbers on the single parenting payment fell significantly from 433,730 before the reform to 338,756 in December 2009. But it is unclear if sole parents are financially better off. The report, by the research and evaluation group of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, says the results were mixed. Despite being implemented at a time of strong labour market demand: ‘Welfare to work was only partly successful in achieving its objectives…'”