YOUTH unemployment in Melbourne’s western suburbs is at crisis point, experts working with disaffected young people are warning.
Unemployment figures for the June quarter, released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show the jobless rate in the west among those under 24 has reached 27 per cent – more than four times the national average. Unemployment in Victoria rose from 5.4 per cent in the March quarter to 5.8 per cent in the June quarter, just above the 5.7 per cent national average.
Australian Council of Social Services deputy chief executive Tessa Boyd-Caine said the figures showed young people were sinking into poverty.
“Over the past 12 months there has been a 30 per cent increase in recipients of the youth allowance payment,” she said.
“The inadequacy of these payments has been recognised by the Henry tax panel, the business community, trade unions and many economists.’’
The council and the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition are calling on the government to increase the youth allowance for single independents by $50 a week, along with the same rise in the Newstart allowance for adults.
AYAC acting executive director Reynato Reodica said young unemployed people were expected to live on $29 a day.
Footscray youth worker Les Twentyman warned growing frustration could spur social unrest.
“Out in the north-west we have youth unemployment rates hitting as high as 60 per cent in some areas,” he said.
Mr Twentyman said young people dropping out of the education system were an easy target for criminal gangs.
