Impacts of Covid-19

A report entitled Scarring Effects of the Pandemic Economy: COVID-19’s ongoing impact on jobs, insecurity and social services in Victoria has been released in Melbourne. The report was delivered to Catholic Social Services Victoria and St Mary’s House of Welcome for a project conducted through Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit (SESU). It addresses how the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will affect demand for social services in Victoria. ACRATH was one of the many social service agencies that contributed to this report.

The report highlights the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic was not just a health crisis but also a pandemic of job loss and job market insecurity. The decision to exclude temporary migrants from JobKeeper and JobSeeker plunged millions into financial hardship, generating destitution and untold suffering across the community. Covid-19 has also deeply impacted on the ability of social service providers to assist those left behind by our growth-oriented economy.

Recommendations from the report include the need for:

• a significant and meaningful rise in key welfare transfers, including and especially JobSeeker;
• renewed government investment in, and expansion of, public and social housing;
• ongoing and expanded funding for social service providers, including providers of emergency relief, accommodation and related services, due to the shortfall of volunteers and the significantly greater burden on active volunteers working in the community

Download a copy of the report here.