ABSTRACT
In Chapters 7 and 8, I documented the increasing convergence of Coalition and Labor Party governments in favour of neoliberal ideas incorporating free market economics, increased welfare conditionality and minimal concern with either the adequacy of income security payments or the well-being of recipients. These ideas have been most significantly resisted by the Australian Greens within the Federal Parliament, and the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in broader community debates. In this chapter, I discuss the alternative social justice ideas presented by the Greens and ACOSS in relation to two specific debates. One was their support for an increase in the Newstart Allowance paid to the unemployed, the other was their opposition to the compulsory income management programmes introduced over the past 11 years.
