Welfare safety nets should be more like trampolines

UQ Business School academic Professor Ken Wiltshire believes Australia’s welfare system too often traps people rather than bouncing them back into paid work.

“Welfare safety nets need to become trampolines,” he said.

Professor Wiltshire made the comment at a Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) lunch featuring The Smith Family CEO Elaine Henry (OAM).

Ms Henry’s wide-ranging speech highlighted some of the issues around the importance of the family and the systemic causes of social disadvantage in contemporary Australia.

“With 700,000 Australian children in jobless families today and the proportion of lone parent families projected to reach 31 percent in 15 years, childcare is emerging as one of the tipping points of the election campaign,” she said.

Other issues canvassed at the lunch included the particular challenges facing indigenous communities.

The Smith Family is a national, independent, social enterprise that supports disadvantaged Australian children to create a better future through education.

CEDA brings together leaders in business, government, academia, and the broader community to contribute to Australia's economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way.

For more information contact Cathy Stacey (07) 3365 6179 or 0434 074 372.