HSH702: Parliamentary Submission Assignment Help
Question
HSH702: This Deakin University Assignment for Contemporary Health Issues And Policies (HSH702) aims to develop communication of ideas and health recommendations that can influence policymaking at the governmental level. The assignment demands the student to select one health scenario provided in the task file and present a parliamentary submission incorporating the social determinants of the issue as well as some recommendations at the policy level. The student will need to present a comprehensive argument for the selected health topic and support these arguments with appropriate evidence.
Solution
The solution consists of a well-structured, and comprehensively articulated parliamentary submission. The health topic chosen for writing this parliamentary submission is the poverty issue in Australia. The Australian government is inquiring into this issue and deliberating on whether income support needs to be provided below or above the poverty line.
The experts have structured this submission by first defining the current condition of poverty in Australia. This follows a professional Parliamentary submission template that elaborates on all the aspects of the issue in detail.
14th April, 2023
Dear Parliamentary Inquiry Committee,
Submission to the Parliamentary Senate Inquiry on the Issue of Poverty in Australia.
I am making this submission on the issue of poverty in Australia and the potential for the Federal Government to increase income support to be at or above the poverty line.
The Current Scenario
The income support system in Australia consists of various payments and allowances, including the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Newstart Allowance, and JobSeeker Payment (formerly known as the Youth Allowance and Newstart Allowance) (Australian Government Department of Social Services [AGDSS], n.d.). As of September 2021, the maximum basic rate of JobSeeker Payment (for a single person with no children) is $620.80 per fortnight, while the maximum rate of Youth Allowance (for a single person aged under 18 living at home) is $479.60 per fortnight (AGDSS, n.d).
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Following this, a discussion of the social determinants of health related to the problem of Poverty in Australia is presented. All the social determinants proposed are justified through relevant information from appropriate resources, which accounts for a well-written example of submission to the Parliament.
The Social Determinants of Health and Poverty
To further discuss on the inquiry and the consequent recommendations, it is important to link the issue of poverty to the health outcomes of people as social determinants of health (SDOH) play a significant role in shaping health outcomes. The SDOH are the social and economic conditions that shape people’s health and well-being, including their access to healthcare, housing, education, and income (Braveman and Gottlieb, 2014).
The SDOH related to poverty are numerous and interconnected. These include:
- Employment and income as an SDOH impacting Poverty in Australia Lack of employment and income are major drivers of poverty in Australia. The unemployment rate in Australia was 4.6% in February 2023, which is relatively low compared to many other countries (Hannam, 2023). However, there are significant variations in unemployment rates across different regions and population groups. For example, the unemployment rate among Indigenous Australians is more than double the national average, and the unemployment rate in some regional areas can be as high as 20% (OECD, 2019).
- Education as an SDOH impacting Poverty in Australia Education is another important social determinant of health (SDOH) and is closely linked to poverty in Australia. Access to education, and the quality of education that people receive, can significantly impact their social and economic opportunities, and their overall health and well-being. Children who are living in poverty may not have access to an education of sufficient quality, which may restrict their opportunities for the future and contribute to the continuation of the cycle of poverty.
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The next section addresses the question of whether it is feasible and beneficial to increase Income support to the same or above poverty levels following the SDOH above. Our experts have weighed down both the advantages and disadvantages of this step to provide the best Parliamentary submission assignment help to our students.
Should the Income Support be Increased to the Same or Above the Poverty Line of the Identified SDOHs?
Ideally, income support payments should be set at a level that is above the poverty line, rather than just at the poverty line. Setting income support payments at a level that is above the poverty line would help to ensure that people who rely on these payments have enough money to meet their basic needs and participate fully in society. Although, increasing the support at par with the poverty line is also a step forward towards the security of the public from social issues such as poverty which impacts their health outcomes. However, the Australian Government shall increase the income support to above the poverty line as in comparison to the support at par, there are a number of disadvantages that the public can face.
The main disadvantage is that income support payments set at the poverty line may not provide enough support for people to fully meet their basic needs, particularly if they live in areas with high housing costs or have additional expenses such as medical bills. This can lead to financial stress, difficulties accessing essential goods and services, and negative social and health outcomes (Biddle, Edwards and Grey, 2019).. For example, people may struggle to afford nutritious food or may be forced to choose between paying rent or seeking medical treatment (Goldie, 2022). This can exacerbate poverty-related health issues and reduce opportunities for social and economic participation.
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Lastly, our experts have suggested well-justified policy recommendations based on the SDOH and scenario discussed above. These recommendations highlight the link between the SDOH and the scenario to pave the pathway for assessing how these recommendations will help.
Recommendations
Improving income support to above the poverty line is a critical step in tackling poverty in relation to the SDOH of education, income, and employment. The given recommendations are a few of the solutions that the Australian government could consider:
- Increase income support: Increasing income support to above the poverty line would provide a safety net for those who are struggling to make ends meet. Studies have shown that increasing income support can reduce poverty rates and improve health outcomes.
- Provide targeted support for education and training: The government could consider providing targeted support for education and training programs that help people develop the skills and knowledge they need to secure stable and well-paying jobs.
- Create secure and stable employment opportunities: The government could consider investing in programs that support job creation in industries with high growth potential, such as renewable energy, health care, and education.
- Improve access to affordable housing: Access to affordable housing is a critical factor in reducing poverty rates and improving health outcomes. The government could 8 consider investing in social housing programs, providing subsidies for low-income renters, and implementing policies that increase the supply of affordable housing.
- Establish a National Anti-Poverty Strategy: The strategy should be developed in collaboration with other levels of government, community organisations, and individuals affected by poverty.
These policy recommendations are aimed to address the root causes of poverty in relation to the SDOH of education, income, and employment.
Yours Sincerely,
Christopher
Here, we have provided only a part of the complete recommendations proposed by our experts. If you wish to read the complete submission, drop us a text over WhatsApp at +447956859420.
