In June 2003, the Clinic made a submission to the Commonwealth Government regarding reform of income support for working-age people. 

The submission contends that all persons have the fundamental human right to social security.  Social security must be available to cover all risks involved in the loss of means of subsistence beyond a person's control and at a level necessary to ensure the realisation of the right to an adequate standard of living.  The Commonwealth Government has an obligation under international human rights law to devote the maximum of its available resources to progressively achieve the full realisation of the right to social security.

The submission argues that the right to social security is denied to, or not capable of effective realisation by, many homeless people.  Many homeless people face significant difficulties with respect to complying with eligibility requirements for social security payments.  Moreover, once qualified for payment, many homeless people are unable to meet participation requirements and are disproportionately susceptible to social security penalties.  Reform of eligibility and participation requirements is necessary to ensure that social security is available to, and maintainable by, all people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  Reform is also crucial to ensure that the welfare reform goals of social inclusion and self-reliance are met through the development and implementation of an integrated package of social assistance aimed at addressing underlying causes of homelessness.  The submission makes a number of recommendations in relation to the issues raised above.

To view a copy of the Clinic's submission, please click here.

To view a copy of the submission by Tamara Walsh of the Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Law in relation to homelessness and welfare reform, please click here. 

To view of copy of the submission by the Australian Federation of Homelessness Organisations, please click here. 

To view a copy of the submission by the Council to Homeless Persons, please click here. 

To view a copy of the submission of the Law Institute of Victoria, please click here.