Re: 鈥淔ailed opportunity 鈥� poverty strategy leaves poorest behind,鈥� comment, March 23.
A good commentary by Jennifer Matthews of Together Against Poverty Society.
sa国际传媒 has always had reasonably good welfare legislation, but there has been a chronic problem that the law has been followed with great reluctance. Back in the W.A.C. Bennett days, it was possible to live with dignity on welfare rates, but it was often hard to collect what the law allowed. The depression spirit of deterrent relief lingered on, and all sorts of obstacles were thrown in the way.
It would probably still be possible to manage on current rates if increments had kept pace with the cost of living. Unfortunately, a series of right-leaning governments have frozen rates for far too long.
Even though the rates became less and less adequate, applicants had to jump through ridiculous hoops to get benefits. Legal entitlements were often ignored. This got worse after Gordon Campbell became premier.
It got so bad that applicants had to take an advocate along, and TAPS was founded. In the old days, social workers and financial workers considered themselves to be advocates. I note that Matthews describes herself as a legal advocate, for that is indeed what she is, fighting for the legal right to benefits.
I was hoping that the current government would make TAPS redundant. Unfortunately, this has not happened.
Ray Ferris
Victoria
