THE Liberty and Democracy Party candidate Tim Quilty is calling for the replacement of the minimum wage with an income supplement.
"People see the minimum wage as necessary to provide low income workers with a fair income,” he said.
“However, providing people with a minimum income safety net does not require minimum wage laws.
"Where people are young, have limited skills or live in remote locations, the ability of businesses to profitably employ them is restricted.
”If an individual is all these things - young, unskilled and living remotely - and the potential employer is also effectively banned from creating any job that
is profitable, then the result is widespread unemployment.
This is precisely the outcome that we see today in many remote rural Australian communities.
"The LDP makes no apology for arguing that employers should be able to make profits.
“We would like to see reforms so that employing young, unskilled remote workers is once again a profitable venture.
We need to allow the creation of profitable jobs with employment costs suited to the economic circumstances of the region an we need to do it in a way that ensures that people continue to receive a basic benchmark level of income.
The evidence is clear that banning the creation of jobs that pay below $14 per hour is devastating for many remote communities.
"The LDP 30/30 tax and welfare policy would replace the minimum wage with a minimum income.
“It would immediately facilitate the creation of jobs in all areas of Australia currently experiencing high unemployment.
“It would strengthen communities that currently exist with little in the way of hope or opportunity", Mr Quilty said.
He also noted that in many parts of Australia today, demand for workers is far outstripping supply, making it unlikely that in these areas anyone's wages would fall.
“However, in depressed rural and remote areas, a drop in the minimum wage coupled with the LDP negative income tax (NIT)income supplement (30c payment for every dollar earned under $30,000) would see many currently unemployed people finding work,” he said.