The media-shy Senator for the Motoring Enthusiasts Party opened up about his past on Monday, stating that his resume "does not read like most politicians'".
In a forward to the Youth Unemployment Monitor, published by Fairfax Media, Senator Muir wrote about the desperation he felt when he couldn't find work after leaving school at the age of 15.
"I applied for many, many entry-level jobs – including abattoir work – near where I lived in Gippsland, but I couldn't catch a break for a long time," he said.
"It was soul-destroying. At times, tears were shed. I did not have the financial support of my parents who were facing their own challenges, so I had to rely on Centrelink payments for more than a year.”
"We can't afford as an economy, let alone a society, to crush the hopes of the next generation"
His comments follow the release of the review into Australia’s welfare system, which recommended withholding welfare payments from youth until they turn 22-years-old.
The McClure Report, issued on Wednesday, outlined a simpler welfare system that funnelled the current 20 payment streams and 55 supplements into five core payments.
The report was launched by Social Services Minister Scott Morrison, who on Monday refused to rule out axing the six month waiting period for young people wanting to access unemployment payments.
Mr Morrison told reporters that "everything remained on the table", until new ideas were brought forth.
He had previously emphasised the need for young people to be "learning or earning", a slogan which has been criticised by Senator Muir.
He stated that "one size does not fit all" when facing the challenges of unemployment.
"Youth unemployment is a local and a national problem that we need to respond to"
"I want to put it on the record that I completely object to the idea that 'young people are lazy'," he said.
"That's a lazy stereotype and does not fit the young unemployed people I talk to.
"My message to policy makers is to put themselves in the shoes of the young people looking for work."
Senator Muir also weighed in on work-for-the-dole schemes, saying that he wasn't “a fan” though he had benefited from it in the past.
"My life experiences have taught me – the hard way – that unemployment is a big challenge in the community," he said.
"Young people without work experience, skills or qualifications are particularly hit in tough economic times. Youth unemployment is a local and a national problem that we need to respond to."
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