disability pensions, dole, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, tony abbott, unemployment benefits, welfare, welfare proposal, welfare system
Q. Tony Abbott has proposed changes to Australia’s welfare system – including cutting back the pension for people whose disabilities can be treated, suspending the dole for young people in areas where job vacancies have not been filled and making work-for-the-dole mandatory for those under 50 receiving unemployment benefits for more than six months.
Do you think Tony Abbott’s proposal will significantly reduce unemployment in Australia or will it just make things more difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Will reduce unemployment | 36% | 18% | 61% | 20% |
| Will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits | 47% | 67% | 24% | 74% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 15% | 16% | 6% |
36% believe that Tony Abbott’s changes to the welfare system will reduce unemployment and 47% think they will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits.
The only groups more likely to think it would reduce unemployment were Liberal/National voters (61%/21%), full-time workers (43%/39%)and those on income over $1,600 pw (48%/36%). 59% of those on incomes under $1,000 pw agreed that it will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits.