AN extra 24,000 over-50s have begun receiving Newstart in the past year, with more than 200,000 older unemployed people now claiming the allowance.
The figures were released in July as the federal government published its blueprint for the future of employment support
payments, including tighter activity requirements to qualify for payments.
Under the plan, all jobseekers, including older people, will be required to submit 40 job applications a month, or 10 a week, to receive their $255 weekly payment.
Jobseekers aged 50-59 will need to complete an approved activity for 15 hours a week for six months of each year, while those over 60 will have job search requirements tailored to their individual needs.
As debate heated up over the changes, National Seniors released research highlighting the need for further attention on how raising the pension age would affect unskilled manual workers who are unable to continue performing physically demanding tasks into old age.
National Seniors chief executive Michael O’Neill said the government had introduced a number of policy interventions to promote longer working lives, but unless the barriers to working longer were determined, mature age unemployment was likely to remain a significant problem.
He said the National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre’s report on disengagement of mature-age people from the workforce underlined the difficulties many faced while trying to remain in physically demanding occupations at an age where such roles might no longer suit their physical capabilities.
“People in manual occupations who are most at risk of leaving the workforce at an early age would benefit most from any formal qualifications or retraining opportunities,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Investment in training and focusing on the skills of these people at an earlier age would prevent them being left on the scrapheap.”
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said tighter Newstart requirements would put older jobseekers at risk, and the problem would worsen as the retirement age was raised from 2017.
“Too many people are being forced to live below the poverty line on inadequate levels of income support in the years leading up to retirement,” she said.
“By failing to provide the quality services needed, older job-seekers are being put at risk of spending a long time out of work and living in poverty, which has long-term consequences for health, mental health and wellbeing.
“Clearly the government does not understand the reality of the current labour market, including key issues like age discrimination, which is a significant barrier for older jobseekers looking to get back into work.
“Rather than making important investments in personalised support for jobseekers, the government’s response is to subject people to tougher activity tests.”
Senator Siewert called for urgent action to provide training and help older people to find opportunities to re-enter the workforce.
Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Dr Cassandra Goldie said doubling the number of jobs people had to apply for was likely to be self-defeating and demoralising.
She said the government should be investing in strengthening people’s employment capacity.
“For instance, funds available to providers to invest in training and other help for people disadvantaged in the labour market range between just $850 and $1200 per year, and access to vocational training will be much more limited than at present,” she said.