Young people hit by the government's proposed work-for-the-dole changes will be forced into homelessness and crime, an industrial relations expert warns.
There is clear evidence that work for the dole does not help the unemployed to find jobs and more importantly it has a negative effect on participants, Professor Raja Junankar says.
The Abbott government wants to reintroduce work for the dole as it attempts to rein in the budget, but has been criticised for measures that would deny under 30s payments for the first six months.
Prof Junankar says research from the University of NSW's business school shows youth unemployment is largely caused by a lack of job training and apprenticeship schemes.
It could not be explained by high wages or over generous unemployment benefits, he said.
Lashing out at the work-for-the-dole proposal, the academic questioned how unemployed young people would survive without social security.
"If they do not come from affluent families they will become homeless and either depend on charitable organisations or resort to petty crime," he said.
His comments come after Palmer United Party senator Jackie Lambie said young people forced off the dole will consider taking their own lives.
"These guys are already feeling like a bucket of sh**," she told The Australian on Wednesday.
The work-for-the-dole measures look unlikely to pass the Senate, with key crossbenchers all opposed to the changes.
Share
