BSL welcomes 2026 report and recommendations from Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee
The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) welcomes the 2026 report from the independent Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee (the Committee) and urges the Federal Government to act on the recommendations as part of the upcoming Federal Budget to reduce poverty, improve economic security, and ensure people can fully participate in their communities.
BSL Executive Director Dr Travers McLeod - a member of the Committee - said that in a time when people across the community are doing it tough, it is more important than ever that the upcoming Federal Budget prioritises measures that support Australians who are struggling the most.
“BSL supports the recommendations in this important and timely report. We know Australians are united in wanting more done to reduce poverty. These recommendations present a roadmap for changes that would have a real impact for the communities we work with every day.”
“The Committee met with people and organisations from across Australia. These recommendations and options for reform draw on the ideas they have put forward to make our economy more inclusive – from changes to our employment system so more people can access decent and meaningful work, to the support needed so people can access safe and secure housing, and specific changes needed to reduce poverty and improve economic security for women.”
“The need for reform is urgent”, Dr. McLeod said. “Lifting investment in economic inclusion is essential to sustaining and growing trust in our democracy, especially during a period of geopolitical upheaval.”
“We know there are many challenges impacting this year’s Federal Budget. Improving the adequacy of our social security system, overhauling employment services, and measuring poverty properly will help to ensure a fairer Australia by growing prosperity and productivity for all.”
The Committee’s report sets out practical options to strengthen economic inclusion in Australia, with recommendations spanning social security adequacy, family payments, employment services, and poverty measurement. With persistent poverty and deep exclusion concentrated among people on the lowest incomes, the report makes plain current systems are not meeting community needs.
The Committee’s report also includes new evidence and commissioned research, including on deep and persistent disadvantage, options for staging and sequencing increases to working age payments, the evolution of family payments, and the costs and benefits of employment services reform.
The Committee reaffirmed the importance for Australia to adopt official measures of poverty to guide policy and track national progress on poverty reduction. With significant efforts already underway at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and across the research community, the Committee rightly notes that establishing official poverty measures is feasible and overdue.
BSL strongly supports the Committee’s findings that Australia’s current employment services model is punitive, harmful, and ineffective. Comprehensive reform must be a national priority. The report makes clear employment services should enable participation, not compound disadvantage. The opportunity is enormous – a better system will support the goals of full employment and higher productivity.
Overall, there are 13 recommendations in the 2026 report, including on:
- Addressing the adequacy of working age payments, including JobSeeker and the Remote Area Allowance, and options for how this can be achieved.
- Housing and rental stress, with particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, along with young people receiving Youth Allowance.
- Overhauling employment services, replacing the Targeted Compliance Framework, and removing work limits for those on the Disability Support Pension.
- Reforms to family payments and child support arrangements to reduce child poverty and improve economic security for women.
Access the full report .
Media contact:
Scott Carbines
BSL Media & Communications Manager
media@bsl.org.au
0447 114 541