The PBO has done a big analysis of jobseeker payments trends over decades and it what it shows really is a national failure. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/30/older-women-and-disabled-people-hardest-hit-by-australias-assault-on-welfare?CMP=share_btn_tw #auspol

Some stats:

In 2007, 9.5% of women getting the dole had been on it longer than FIVE years. By 2019, it was 24.4%.

In 2007, 7% of people on jobseeker had disabilities that prevented them from working full-time. In 2019? 42%.

This chart suggests increasing numbers of women are finding themselves on jobseeker payment and just never getting of it

Similarly, look at the explosion in the proportion of people now on the dole for longer than two years, or longer than five years (the blue lines)

Yet at the same time 62% of new jobseeker recipients are off it within one year.

Basically, it suggests you have a group of people who are coming on and off the dole fairly frequently. Then at the same time another group – with disabilities, older people – who just languish on what has been an increasingly inadequate payment.

The full paper is here. It's a bit dry but I challenge you to read it and not despair at the situation https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Budget_Office/Publications/Research_reports/JobSeeker_Payment