The Wire

The campaign to raise the rate of Newstart allowance has received a boost with independent research recommending a substantial increase in the payment to reduce poverty levels.

The research from the Australian National University’s Centre for Social Research and Methods developed an algorithm to set the rates of various welfare payments to reduce poverty levels.

Keeping the total welfare budget the same, the algorithm adjusted the amount spent on Newstart up by 50 per cent, while reducing the amounts spent on family tax benefits and the aged pension.