TURNBULL AND MORRISON MUST CRACK DOWN ON CORPORATE TAX EVADERS AND STOP PICKING ON NEWSTART PAUPERS

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and treasurer Scott Morrison seem very determined to target the most vulnerable Australians as part of the federal government's purge of Newstart Allowance.

At best, the current base Newstart payment, which is around $268 for a single unemployed person, is a survival kit. Fact is you "exist on Newstart", you don't live on Newstart.

The reality is, whether Turnbull, Morrison and social services minister Christian Porter want to admit it or not, that no unemployed Australian can comfortably survive on such a measly sum of money.

Neither can they go looking for jobs, like they are supposed and obligated to do, according to job search requirements set down by Centrelink, simply because they can't afford the fuel to drive around the countryside to seek employment.

Newstart, as it stands now, only allows for the most basic food and essentials. It doesn't allow for fuel for an unemployed person to drive anywhere except to run the most essential errands. It doesn't allow for council rates, power bills and somewhat ironically, for car registration.

The federal government must in fact increase Newstart payments by around $50 a week minimum, just so it at least meets the rock bottom poverty threshold.

Many of course will say that will shipwreck Morrison's budget even more, and lumber taxpayers with having to foot a multi-billion increase in welfare burden. But hey - this is where the corporate tax evasion crackdown which never eventuates comes into the equation.

If Turnbull and Morrison plug that revenue drainpipe, the budget windfall will be more than enough to cover a substantial increase in Newstart Allowance.