The Welfare Rights Centre (WRC) expressed deep concern over the employment policies of the Coalition and the Opposition parties. Both parties have included rewards, as well as, punitive measures in efforts to win voters for the August 21 elections.

Maree O'Halloran of WRC considered the Coalition's policy to give financial assistance to job seekers as beneficial. The Coalition's $6,000 assistance for each job seeker who will relocate in order to find work could be punitive, he said. O'Halloran explained that a person who relocates but could not keep a job for two consecutive years could be deprived of income support for six months.

The WRC also identified disadvantages in the Opposition's approach. O'Halloran emphasized that financial help does not guarantee jobs. He said the Opposition's proposed $6,500 bonus for welfare recipients who keep a job for at least two years would be unlikely when there are too few long-term jobs available.

O'Halloran praised the Opposition for supporting people who have been out of work. However, a strategy to create stable jobs in the coming years has yet to be formed. Even a solution to the current unemployment remains on the table. Unemployment figures rose from 5.1 to 5.3 percent in July.