http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/andrew-baker/ Andrew Baker is a policy analyst with the Social Foundations Program at the Centre for Independent Studies. His research will focus on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, welfare reform, pensions, family payments, parental leave and other social policy issues. Prior to joining the CIS, Andrew worked in a policy research and advisory capacity for several members of the Australian Senate. Andrew has a Masters in Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne and a BA (Hons) in Philosophy from Monash University. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Increasing-newstart-would-be-a-costly-failure/ The campaign to increase the base rate of Newstart Allowance has focused on the hand to mouth existence of those on the payment, who receive a minimum of $35 a day before other payments like Rent Assistance are added. The welfare lobby want a $50 a week increase in the base rate of Newstart - an increase that will cost taxpayers anywhere between $8 billion and $15 billion over the forward estimates. Even the Business Council of Australia (BCA) argues the payment ‘itself now presents a barrier to employment and risks entrenching poverty.’ While the payment certainly provides for a frugal existence, there has been little discussion about how a $50 a week increase in payments will help people move off welfare and into work. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Andrew Baker) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Increasing-newstart-would-be-a-costly-failure/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Increasing-newstart-would-be-a-costly-failure/#item10461 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:45:42 +0000 Andrew Baker | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-ndis-will-cost-us-more-than-were-being-told/ It’s official, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will cost taxpayers around $22 billion a year (gross) in its first full year of operation, a marked increase on the $15 billion figure that is being widely used in the public debate. The NDIS will provide lifetime care and support to Australians born with a permanent and severe disability or who have acquired one. The current system of support (which costs around $7 billion a year, not including the disability support pension) has been characterised by the Productivity Commission as “underfunded, unfair, fragmented, and inefficient, and gives people with a disability little choice and no certainty of access to appropriate supports.” feedback@thepunch.com.au (Andrew Baker) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-ndis-will-cost-us-more-than-were-being-told/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-ndis-will-cost-us-more-than-were-being-told/#item9352 Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:55:35 +0000 Andrew Baker | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/youve-got-mail-asio-wants-to-read-it-all-of-it/ The government wants to be your Facebook friend, follow you on Twitter, read your emails and text messages, and know which websites you visit. It then wants to file all that information for up to two years in case you are found to be a terrorist, crime lord or paedophile. The government also wants your computer passwords and might even send you to jail if you refuse. Creepy. These changes are under consideration by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, and if implemented, will substantially increase the powers the intelligence community has to spy on Australians in the name of national security. Many of the proposed changes are of dubious value and a direct attack on the civil liberties of all Australians. Increased powers to intercept phone calls, emails and other communications are just the start of the government’s assault on basic freedoms. For example, the attorney-general may soon have the power to modify warrants after they have been issued, and the duration of search warrants may be doubled from 90 days to six months. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Andrew Baker) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/youve-got-mail-asio-wants-to-read-it-all-of-it/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/youve-got-mail-asio-wants-to-read-it-all-of-it/#item9004 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:00:55 +0000 Andrew Baker | Author bios | The Punch