• Welfare cheats were able to use drug and alcohol addiction to avoid obligations 
  • New laws coming into affect will crackdown on welfare cheats from April 1 
  • A demerit points system and a ‘three strikes’ policy will also be introduced 

By Brett Lackey For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 03:40 BST, 2 April 2018 | Updated: 04:07 BST, 2 April 2018

Drug and alcohol addiction has been, up until now, an excuse for those on welfare payments to avoid completing their mutual obligation requirements. 

However, under new laws introduced by the Turnbull Government that is changing.

The Welfare Reform Bill which has passed through Parliament brings a number of changes which aim to crackdown on those who may be taking advantage of unemployment benefits.

Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan said new laws will  address job seekers who decline work or persistently miss requirements and 'face no real consequences'

Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan said new laws will  address job seekers who decline work or persistently miss requirements and ‘face no real consequences’

The number of dole recipients being granted drug and alcohol addiction exemptions has grown to 3353 across the nation as reported by The Courier Mail.

Queensland has the largest number of recipients being granted exemptions at 1074, followed by 878 in Northern Territory, 734 in Western Australia, and only 338 in NSW.

From April 1 drug and alcohol dependency will no longer be a reason for those on the Newstart Allowance to be exempt from their mutual obligation requirements.

The criteria will be even stricter from July 1 as drug and alcohol dependency will not even be a reasonable excuse to avoid looking for work unless those involved are seeking treatment.

A demerit system will also be introduced from July 1 which will operate similar to the points system used with a Driver’s Licence, which will also be backed up by a ‘three strikes’ policy. 

Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan said that, ‘This will end the current situation where, in more than 90 per cent of cases, job seekers who decline work or persistently miss requirements face no real consequences because penalties can too easily be waived.’

Queensland has the largest number of recipients being granted exemptions at 1074, followed by 878 in Northern Territory, 734 in Western Australia, and only 338 in NSW

Queensland has the largest number of recipients being granted exemptions at 1074, followed by 878 in Northern Territory, 734 in Western Australia, and only 338 in NSW

Queensland has the largest number of recipients being granted exemptions at 1074, followed by 878 in Northern Territory, 734 in Western Australia, and only 338 in NSW

 

 

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