“We Need to Talk about Newstart” – Financial counsellors release graphic recording explainer

Financial Counselling Australia and the State and Territory financial counselling associations* join with thousands of Australians, business leaders and community groups in calling on the Government to “Raise the Rate”.

Financial counsellors are playing their part in a national week of action asking the Federal Government to increase the level of Newstart so that people looking for jobs are not living on the breadline.

As part of our contribution to the campaign, FCA has today released a graphic animation explaining why Raising the Rate makes sense. You can download the one page animation as a picture file or see it unfold as a graphic recording in time lapse.

People seek assistance from financial counsellors when they are struggling to pay their bills and debts. Many clients are often in receipt of income support payments like Newstart.

In our experience, many people on Newstart are wonderful money managers – because they have to be. But even the best money managers struggle to live on $282 per week (about $40 per day). There is only so much we can do if the fundamental problem is woefully inadequate income.

Media contact: Elizabeth Minter, Communications manager, 0406 588 371

* Financial Counsellors Association Tasmania, Financial and Consumer Rights Council, Financial Counsellors Association of NSW, Financial Counsellors ACT, Financial Counsellors Association of Queensland, South Australian Financial Counsellors Association, Financial Counsellors Association of WA