Former Green Party MP and social activist Sue Bradford with megaphone - Photo / File
Former MP Sue Bradford says the Government is paying a higher benefit to recently unemployed workers because of the upcoming election.
"They're really worried about the newly unemployed, if they were suddenly on $250 a week, how they'll feel at the Election," Sue Bradford says.
She says that Govt should be paying a higher benefit to all jobseekers regardless of when they lost their jobs.
"It's so unfair that they have now, this Govt has created two classes of beneficiaries. One, those who have been made unemployed as a result of COVID. For the rest they are saying 'just sit there', on $250 a week."
The long-time social activist is urging the Government to introduce a basic income benefit. This basic income benefit would be enough for one person to live on.
Add-on payments would be given for children and other circumstances.
If that is not on the cards, Bradford urges the Govt to implement 'wholesale' the recommendations of the 2018 Welfare Expert Advisory Group.