Renewed calls for Labor to ditch work for the dole scheme as major charity walks away

Brotherhood of St Laurence will no longer participate saying program is ‘not in the best interests of people who are unemployed’

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Welfare advocates have renewed calls for the Labor government to drop the work for the dole program after one of the country’s most well-known not-for-profits announced it was cutting ties with the scheme over concerns it pushes participants into hardship.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence announced this week it would no longer participate or use jobseekers from the program, saying it is “not in the best interests of people who are unemployed”.

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