Dole bludgers to permanently lose Centrelink payments if they don’t want to work

Dole bludgers risk losing their welfare payments if they fail to look for work under sweeping new laws.  

The changes come after a man breached Centrelink’s rules 117 times last year after he missed or behaved inappropriately at 99 job interviews, The Herald Sun reported.

The man also failed to show up to 10 meetings with his employment services provider, and behaviour led to eight interventions by the Human Services Department.

However, he only lost his welfare payments for five days. 

The new laws will take effect from July, where up to 80,000 welfare recipients risk losing their payments

The sweeping new laws will take effect from July, where up to 80,000 welfare recipients risk losing their payments.

The system will work on a demerit point basis where if recipients break the law they get punished. 

If recipients fail to look for work or attend job interviews more than five times in an six-month period, they risk losing a month’s worth of payments. 

Someone who acquires two demerit points will have their welfare payments cut for one week.

Three demerit points will send the recipient off the welfare list for an entire month. 

If someone acquires five demerit points, they will lose half their fortnightly payment. 

Social Services Minister Dan Tehan said, ‘Australian’s don’t want to see their taxpayer dollars funding the lifestyles of people who refuse to look for work and do the right thing,’ the Herald Sun reported.  

The system will work on a demerit point basis where if recipients break the law they get punished (stock image)