So is this what "Welfare Reform" means?

Whilst the Government is yet to formally respond to the McClure Report, the revelation of Centrelink’s formal referral of clients to the St Vincent de Paul Society should cause all Australians to question the Government’s ambitions for ‘welfare reform’.

The Minister for Family and Community Services has highlighted her desire to change the classification process of people with disability to help reduce welfare dependency. Is this code for even more Government referrals to charities such as St Vincent de Paul?

Executive Secretary of Centacare Australia Toby O’Connor said today: "Centacare Australia fears that the Government is determined to harden its punitive interpretations of the concept of ‘mutual obligation’. This punitive approach is a stark and unacceptable denial of the Government’s responsibility. It should be of great concern to every Australian, that the Government’s ‘doctrine’ of ‘mutual obligation’ relies so heavily upon agencies such as St Vincent de Paul.

"It is not acceptable for governments to introduce new policies that undermine human dignity and increase the number of people left out in the cold. Governments have an absolute requirement to govern for the common good of all Australians. No policy ‘doctrine’ suddenly permits them to walk away.

"We had hoped the Government’s response to the McClure Report would signal a new approach towards a sharing of responsibility by all members in the social coalition. The early signs are not encouraging.

"Centacare Australia remains very concerned that ‘welfare reform’ and ‘mutual obligation’ are excuses for the situation so graphically illustrated by the President of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

"We applaud the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society and the courage of President Mr John Moore in ringing the alarm bell.

"Government abrogation of their responsibility is not ‘welfare reform." He concluded.

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