Welfare State
Despite a rapid increase in wealth and living standards over the past few decades, more Australians are dependent on the public purse than ever before. Today, almost one in six working age Australians relies on welfare for all or part of their income. A growing welfare state means an ever higher tax take is needed, bringing more taxpayers in to the welfare system. How can government promote individual responsibility and self-reliance, while still providing a safety net? How can patterns of joblessness and dependency be broken?
Publications
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A Fair Go: Fact or Fiction?
| 09 May 2013 | Policy MonographsThe Australian ideal of a fair go is fact rather than fiction. By offering all individuals the opportunity to capitalise... Read More...
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Saving Medicare But NOT As We Know It
| 30 Apr 2013 | TARGET30 Research PapersHigh growth in health spending is the area of public expenditure that will unsustainably increase the size of government... Read More...
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TARGET30 SNAPSHOT: Saving Medicare But NOT As We Know It
| 30 Apr 2013 | TARGET30 SnapshotsHigh growth in health spending is the area of public expenditure that will unsustainably increase the size of government... Read More...
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After the Welfare State: Politicians Stole Your Future … You Can Get It Back
| 08 Apr 2013 | Occasional PapersHistory, economics, sociology, political science, and mathematics are the tools to understand and evaluate welfare states,... Read More...
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Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State
| 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Research PapersThe welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...
Opinion & Commentary
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Gillard Deal Risks NDIS Timebomb
| 13 May 2013 | The Australian Financial ReviewIn its eagerness to lock in the funding and governance arrangements for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), ... Read More
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Only a super-style savings system now will help Medicare survive
| 30 Apr 2013 | The AustralianTHE intergenerational reports have told us repeatedly that escalating government spending on health is unsustainable in an ... Read More
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Extending NDIS poses threat
| 21 Feb 2013 | Australian Financial ReviewThe age restrictions on the NDIS are crucial in maintaining the scheme’s financial integrity and maximising its benefits.... Read More
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Increasing Newstart would be a costly failure
| 25 Jan 2013 | The PunchAn increase in the base rate of Newstart Allowance will not do much to break down the barriers to employment for the long ... Read More
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Disability pension reform key to NDIS success
| 20 Dec 2012 | Australian Financial ReviewReform of the disability support pension is necessary to maximise the benefits of the NDIS.... Read More
Ideas@TheCentre
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Timid cuts to middle class welfare
| 17 May 2013The budget has delivered a new tax and some tinkering with the FTB system to pay for DisabilityCare instead of serious reforms ...
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Prospects for NDIS blowout
| 10 May 2013The NDIS could experience average annual growth of around 8% per year, which would make the entire scheme financial unsustainable ...
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Reforming the welfare state
| 28 Mar 2013Of the $316 billion spent on the welfare state in 2010-11, over half was on tax welfare churn....
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Easy moralism on forced adoption ‘sorry’
| 22 Mar 2013The apology on forced adoption condemned the sins of the past, while ignoring the current day sins of ‘enlightened’ social ...
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Fairness in the welfare state
| 15 Mar 2013The welfare state must stop rewarding irresponsible behaviour and distinguish between deserving and undeserving cases....
