To better understand the idea of welfare dependency and its influence on policy debate, this paper examines how the idea emerged during United States' debates over welfare reform from the 1960s to the 2000s and outlines the history of the idea.

If 'levelling up' is to be seen as legitimate by those it is trying to help, it must meaningfully involve the public in decisions about how money is spent. This report finds that that the public is divided on what levelling up should look like, and people do not have high hopes for their local...

This report is the second in the ACOSS and UNSW 'Build Back Fairer' Series. The report analyses the changes to key income support payments from 2000 to 2021. It provides a comparison of the changes to income support highlighting who has been left behind. Its purpose is to inform debate about how our income support...

From April to September 2020, Good Shepherd commissioned Roy Morgan to investigate a group of working Australians that they have termed the ‘new vulnerable’. This report provides in-depth analysis of these people, and their experience of navigating support systems to address their needs arising from financial stress.

Like all state governments, the South Australian government provides concessions for people living on very low incomes and struggling with affordability of essential services. This review of the concessions system in South Australia highlights how the complex patchwork created poverty premiums and barriers to accessing concessions support.