SUMMARY: Changes to Australia’s income support system over time have resulted in unintended complexities, inconsistencies and disincentives for some people to work. Achieving a simpler and sustainable income support system should involve a simpler architecture, a fair rate structure, a common approach to adjusting payments, a new approach to support for families with children and young people, effective rent assistance, and rewards for work and targeting assistance to need. The paper argues that a preferred alternative for achieving these goals would be Basic Income.

Judith S. Willis. “Response to Interim Report: Review of Australia’s Welfare System.” Australian Government, Department of Social Services, August 2014