- Centrelink pays better than part-time work
Australians can earn more money on Centrelink than working part-time, prompting one comedian to joke that many are better off on unemployment benefits.
The minimum wage of $24.10 an hour adds up to $385.60 a week for someone working 16 hours part-time.
But JobSeeker pays $389 a week for someone who is unemployed, single and without children.
A comedian on social media posted a humorous video suggesting it’s not worth working part-time on minimum wage and joking that it’s better to trust Centrelink.
He pointed to a waiting job that paid between $22 and $25 an hour and was advertised on the Gold Coast.
‘Who would want to work for $22 or $25 an hour for 10 to 20 hours? You’re better off on Centrelink, man,” he said, in the person of an unemployment cheater.
‘I wouldn’t even waste your time. Even Centrelink pays more than that.’
With unemployment still low, hotel companies are struggling to hire staff.
This means that restaurants and cafes have to close early or even stop operating because they do not have enough manpower to stay open.
An Australian influencer joked that it’s better to be unemployed than working part-time, highlighting a part-time job that pays less than Centrelink.
Being unemployed or working part-time would not pay rent in a capital city where the average weekly rent per unit is $619.
This makes house-sharing the only option for the unemployed or those earning minimum wage.
But unemployment in Australia remains low: 4.1 per cent, with 15,900 jobs created in October.
Of those, 9,700 were full-time and 6,200 were part-time, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Western Australia has the lowest unemployment rate at 3.9 per cent, followed by Queensland and New South Wales at 4 per cent.
Australians can earn more money with Centrelink than working part-time. Pictured is a Centrelink office on the Gold Coast.
Wages in the hospitality sector grew by 3.5 per cent in the year to September, which was in line with the broader economy.
But JobSeeker payments increased by 2 per cent or $15.30 a fortnight on September 20, taking benefits to $778 every two weeks.
Unemployment benefits were also indexed on March 20, increasing by 1.8 percent or $13.50 to $762.70 per fortnight.
That means the unemployed have enjoyed a 3.8 percent annual increase in benefits, indexed to inflation.
This was also largely in line with the 3.75 percent increase in the minimum wage that came into effect on July 1.