100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Welfare payments to increase and help vulnerable Australians battling with cost of living

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Suburb sets trend as prize home winners choose to stay

A Sunshine Coast suburb is bucking the usual prize home trend, with recent lottery winners choosing to move in and stay put. The Endeavour Foundation More

Industrial park powers ahead amid calls for road upgrades

Work is ramping up on a major expansion of an industrial hub that could inject $65 million a year into the Sunshine Coast economy, More

Rates to increase as ‘challenging’ $202m budget adopted

A $202m local council budget will see significant funds set aside for roads, bridges and facilities but it will come at an increased cost More

Planning ‘ramps’ up for new beach access

Plans are afoot for an all-abilities access ramp at a popular beach as Sunshine Coast Council undertakes to make it accessible to all. The new More

Photo of the day: river shack sunrise

Sunrise over the Maroochy River, where an old fishing shack is being repaired. Sandy Gillis observed the scene. If you have a photo of the More

Police confirm identity of man found in river

Police have identified a man whose body was found in a Sunshine Coast river more than 18 months ago. He has been identified as a More

Around one million young people, carers and students will have their welfare payments boosted by up to $20 a week at the start of next year.

The payments will indexed by just over six per cent, with the increases to start on January 1.

Youth allowance will increase by between $19.10 and $41.40 a fortnight while people on Austudy will receive between $32.40 and $41.40 more each fortnight.

People on the disability support pension aged under 21 and without children will receive between $27.40 and $40.70 a fortnight.

The rates for ABSTUDY, isolated children assistance, mobility allowance, double orphan pension, carer allowance and pharmaceutical allowance will also increase.

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor including your name and suburb via: news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the increases would help ease the rising cost of living pressures.

“This will have a significant impact on the hip pockets of young people she said.

“Income free areas for student income support recipients will also benefit from indexation, meaning they are able to earn more before their payment is impacted.”

SUBSCRIBE here now for our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily!

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share