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