A single standard income payment, untaxed and unconditional to every person, will provide income security and the freedom to choose education, work and lifestyle. It would replace existing targeted welfare payments (not programs) and be integrated for administration purposes with the taxation system. Giving an equal payment to everyone would overcome poverty while boosting participation, skills, productivity and growth.
I discuss this idea for a ‘universal basic income’ (UBI) with Bronwyn Kelly, founder, Australian Community Futures Planning (ACFP), who is modelling and promoting her idea and advocating that citizens take the UBI forward to government for examination by a citizen jury process.
Republished from Mix Cloud, August 2024
Michael Lester is a public policy economist with a career in Commonwealth and State agencies, World Bank and OECD. His interests include innovation, environment, and governance. He presents programs on community radio.
Bronwyn Kelly is the Founder of Australian Community Futures Planning and the author of By 2050: planning a better future for our children in 21st century democratic Australia and The People’s Constitution: the path to empowerment of Australians in a 21st century democracy. View her writing on Substack at bronwynkelly.substack.com or at austcfp.com.au