The Federal Government will release a report this morning suggesting a single welfare payment for people of working age. The report has been prepared by Community Services Minister Amanda Vanstone and Employment Minister Tony Abbott. Senator Vanstone says the aim is to remove the regime of payments that discourage people from working. She says reducing the payment types from 15 to one will simplify the system. "We do have people who don't always understand the range of benefits that are available, whether it's the main substantive benefits or the top-ups, so they don't apply for them and they end up being on a payment that's maybe only a few dollars less than they are entitled to," she said. "It will be easier for Australians to navigate." Labor's Wayne Swan says welfare recipients may be worse off. "This proposal at the moment for a common welfare payment in the hands of a good-hearted government would be constructive," he said. "But in the hands of a hard-hearted government, in the hands of ministers like Abbott and Vanstone, it will be nothing more than cuts to payment, nothing more than vilification of vulnerable Australians." Source www.abc.net.au ###