Evaluation of an Australian Social Policy Introduction

Evaluation of an Australian Social policy

Introduction
The concept of the social policy describes it bridges the connectivity to society and politics. It
is concerned with the welfare of the state which affects the basic needs of human. The social
policy enables the individuals and the community participates in the society by contributing
to the social and national development while benefiting individual families with fundamental
rights of dignity. The social policy ensures the human needs and security to a society like
education, wellbeing, health, income. It denotes how federal and state government responds
to the global challenges of social, economic, demographic changes. Social policy aims to
reduce the risk of human insecurity related to basic human rights and establishes equal
opportunity. It also determines the attitudes of the citizen in a nation.
Case study review:
This paper discusses the Australian social policy of disability support pension. This is a
financial benefit given by the commonwealth government of Australia to support the lives of
people who are physically, intellectually and psychiatrically are incapable of earning. These
benefits are only claimed by the citizens and exclude the migrants as it is supported by
general taxation. The disability support policy selects the people who will not recover or
become capable of earning in the next two years. The parents of disabled children up to the
age of 16 from the age of 8 can receive the monthly payment.
History and trends of this policy
The assessment criteria for DSP and the payment rate were introduced in 1991. The
reformation of this DSP policy was declared in 2009-10 while noticing the feedback of
positive growth over the last two decades. The fiscal budget indicates the challenge for
investing DSP expenditure though in 2014-15, the nominal expenditure of DSP was below
rate. According to ("Welfare—what does it cost? – Parliament of Australia", 2019), the
expenditure growth in DSP was comparatively stable 1991-92 and 2007-2008. It represents
the average annual expenditure of 3.5%. From 2008-2009 the growth of DSP expenditure
increases radically and also displays the same form in 2011-12. Simultaneously this period
parallel run with the global financial crisis or recession period. From 2013 the DSP growth
decreases while spending 0.2% average expenditure annually and it remains the same up to
2017-18.

The maximum public spending in Australia goes to the welfare funding. So it determines the
estimated tax collection and the estimation of tax size for individuals. In order to allow every
disabled individual a monthly payment of $ 385, Australian government has funded $132
million in 2012-2013 for social welfare and 34% of it expensed by the government itself.
Disability support pension or DSP is connected with other income support pension like
pensions for aging population. Half of the recipient of DSP receives their income from age
pensions and other social benefits. The expenditure figure of disabilities covers $13.6 billion
in 2016-2017.
Sources: (Parviainen, Belgaied, Sediri, Rémuzat & Toumi, 2016)
Figure 1: Expenditure of Social security and social welfare in Australia
Wealth distribution & Equality treatment
In Asian countries like China and India individuals are responsible for supporting their family
members like elderly and disabled, while in Australia Government take the responsibility to
look after the weak and less capable individuals. McAllister, (2014) commented that the
Australian government runs this policy to allow the equal dispersion of wealth and
standardize the living of socio-economically backward class. In the effort of reducing
poverty in Australia, the government utilizes these policies as a tool of redistributing the
wealth among the poor people while reduces the adverse incentives. The wealth redistribution