Work and wellbeing in remote Australia: Moving beyond punitive ‘workfare’

Abstract

Australia's remote-focused ‘workfare’ program (Community Development Program, CDP) has produced overwhelmingly negative impacts, most of which have been borne by its ∼80% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants. The Australian government has announced that CDP will end in 2023, though a replacement policy/program is not yet decided. Here, I bring three public proposals for replacement policies (wage subsidy, Job Guarantee, Liveable Income Guarantee) into conversation with one another, and compare these to the possibilities offered by a basic income. Drawing on documentary evidence, I discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives, asking whether they might improve wellbeing and alleviate the harms experienced under CDP-style workfare.