Rolling Through

Australia needs a Universal Basic Income (UBI).

It feels like we are in a dystopian choose your own adventure novel.  COVID cases in NSW have been at record highs for weeks. Thousands of people are in hospital, the system is overstretched but we’re not in lockdown. 

We are able, even encouraged, to move freely around the community.

Working from home became mainstream overnight in 2020 when lockdowns were imposed.  Unemployment payments were temporarily doubled and dragged above the poverty line.  Job search requirements were suspended.  Many workers were paid to stay at home.  Australia suddenly began a limited experiment in Universal Basic Income.

Now that we have record numbers of COVID cases in NSW and a health system under pressure most of the financial support the government provided in earlier phases of the pandemic has been withdrawn.

What if we brought back financial support sufficient to live on?   What if we shared it with everyone?  What if it was permanent?  Imagine the possibilities if Australia had a Universal Basic Income!

1.    Workers who need to stay home could do so on a Universal Basic Income.

NSW has record numbers of COVID in the community.  We also have huge numbers of casual workers –   21.4% of NSW’s  workforce was casual in 2020.  Casual workers have no sick leave. No work, no pay.  Casuals routinely go to work even if they’re sick.  I know.  I’ve done it myself.  NSW health advice requires those with  COVID and most close contacts to self isolate for seven days.  If you have no symptoms and are a close contact who is part of the ever-growing list of critical workers, the Australian government expects you to work.   The economy demands it.

If you or your co-workers have COVID, it’s not safe to be working together. Even if you have no symptoms, you can still spread the virus, although it’s less likely. 

There is an isolation payment available for people who lose income because they are required to isolate.  To receive it, you must be able to show a positive test result.  You have to apply for the payment and satisfy the conditions.  If you are seriously ill with COVID19, you don’t have the time and energy to fill out yet another government form. The last thing you need is the uncertainty of wondering whether or not you’ll receive a payment.  You also don’t want to be worrying about hanging on to the proof that you tested positive because the government might  check your evidence later. 

A universal liveable income provides money to live on whether you’re working or not. It’s not something you have to apply for. It’s something everyone receives in and out of crisis.  It’s unconditional.  For a worker on a lower income, it means not being left destitute and desperate if going to work becomes unsafe.  It means you can make your own decisions and prioritise your own safety. If your health situation makes you more vulnerable to COVID than other people and you want to stay at home, you have more of an option to do so. If there are record COVID cases in the community so you want to do everything possible to avoid catching it, you can choose to stay at home. If you do catch COVID, you don’t need to worry about filling in forms or saving evidence. You have money to live on.

2.    People who need tests most could get them

As the number of COVID cases climbs, the Australian government has made significant changes regarding who can and can’t get a PCR test.  It’s not because having COVID no longer matters.  It’s because there is a massive shortage of testing supplies. 

Yes, you can now apply for a COVID disaster payment if you test positive on a Rapid Antigen Test, but those remain hard to get. If you do have COVID, how many people will you spread it to trying shop after shop to get a test?

By making it economically practical for you to stay home from work when you choose to, a Universal Liveable Income would ease the pressure on COVID testing.  You could isolate as a precaution if you thought you might have COVID but were unsure.  More tests could be available to essential workers to minimise the spread of COVID among them.

3.    Care workers could be frequently tested

Many elderly and disabled people are now living on the edge.  They rely on carers to help them with things as up close and personal as showering and dressing.  With COVID, that’s become a very risky way to live. 

Imagine.  With the help of carers, you can stay in your own home and community.  You can stay out of a nursing home or group home you don’t want to live in.  You need a bit of support, but you have some choices about how your life goes.  Things were pretty good – before COVID.

Now, you’re scared.  Your support workers are casual.  You only need them for about three hours each day.  They support other people, in different places.  That used to be fine.  Now it feels dangerous.  What if they come to help you out of bed one day and pass on the COVID infection they picked up  before they arrived.  A few health problems make you more likely to get seriously ill.  Your carer would be horrified to be responsible for giving you COVID.  If only they could do a Rapid Antigen Test before starting each shift!

“…thousands of people with disability who require care and support services every day to live healthy, functional and dignified lives are now left scrambling to find workers who can provide the COVID-safe services they need”

Samantha Connor, President, People with Disability Australia

Care workers are also in short supply.  Samantha Connor, President of People with Disability Australia, reports that, “thousands of people with disability who require care and support services every day to live healthy, functional and dignified lives are now left scrambling to find workers who can provide the COVID-safe services they need”. 

Carers are essential workers.  If non-essential workers had the financial security to isolate even without a positive test, care workers could be offered tests more often.  A universal livable income would provide that security.

4.    The economy could continue to function – even if it was limping.

Workers with mild COVID symptoms who are unable to get a test will go to work – especially if they are casual or earn a low income.  What choice do they have?  At work, they will spread the virus further.  More people will become ill.  More businesses will close temporarily.  If it goes on for long enough, more businesses will close permanently.  How do you keep going when you’re low on both staff and customers?  

If we had a universal liveable income, not only could the spread of the virus be reduced, people would feel safer to spend what money they had. Shoppers would keep shopping online.  Food lovers would keep spending on takeaway food. Fans would donate to performers posting content online.

Australians wouldn’t need to desperately save the money they have now in the fear of no income next week or next month.  A universal liveable income wouldn’t solve all the economic problems that come with COVID, but it would keep a few more people afloat.

5.    Our community would have a place to start the re-building process

Hopefully, there is a new normal, somewhere in the future, where life is not dominated by the pandemic. Whenever we get to that point, dealing with the fallout of COVID19 will be a long process. 

Families have lost loved ones.  Businesses have gone broke.  Workers have lost employment.  Hopes and dreams have been demolished, or at least set back.  Some things have changed permanently. Many desk workers enjoy working from home and don’t want to go back into the office full time.  While they enjoy working in their PJs, the owner of the cafe where they used to buy lunch Is wondering how to pick up the pieces. Can the business be rebuilt?

Employees who need new jobs might feel buoyed by the number of positions vacant, but without demonstrated experience in the tasks required, they’ll be flailing.  Employee training has gone out of style.  Today’s employers demand workers who can “hit the ground running”.

Starting over is never an easy thing to do, especially when the landscape has changed significantly.

A universal liveable income would provide breathing space for those who need to make a new start. Retraining would be more financially viable for those who need new work. Essential workers, who’ve barely stopped during the pandemic, would be able to take a rest, with or without holiday leave. Families who’ve been forced to grieve apart could take time to get together and support each other.

Recovery would feel more possible

A universal liveable income is not a panacea for the challenges we face as a result of COVID19.  It is a strategy that could help us get back on our feet.  It could give us confidence in our ability to build a post- COVID world.  Imagine having the security to face a new future; moving into a job you enjoy or a work life with fewer hours.  Imagine setting out on a new path with excitement, rather than fear.  Imagine the possibilities that could be yours if you had a liveable income with no strings attached.

What possibilities do you see with a universal liveable income?  Let me know in the comments below.

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