Senator Rachel Siewert starts living on Newstart
Newstart is Australia’s unemployment benefit. It should be a safety net to catch us when we find ourselves out of a job — but it’s so low that it traps people in poverty. This issue isn’t on the federal radar, so this week I’m going to learn to live on Newstart – on just $17 a day for food, transport, bills, the lot – to get the word out.
It’s going to be tough, but a fraction of what someone actually on Newstart experiences. I’ll be updating my Facebook page throughout the week with what I learn – like it today at http://facebook.com/RachelSiewert to find out more.