For Integration Minister Susanne Raab (VP), the move by some countries, including Upper Austria, to introduce compulsory work for asylum seekers is “fundamentally sensible”. People who flee to Austria and receive food, accommodation and pocket money here should give something back to society – for example in the form of maintaining community areas, said Raab in the APA interview. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (VP) also recently supported this idea.
Raab does not share the human rights concerns expressed by Amnesty International: With the obligation to work, asylum seekers would also make contacts in Austria. “There can be nothing bad regarding that and in my view there is nothing at all that violates human rights.” At the same time, Raab spoke out once morest improving labor market access for asylum seekers. The decision in the asylum procedure and whether the stay in Austria is long-term should be awaited. A reform in the care of unaccompanied minor refugees, as demanded by NGOs, is not an issue for the minister. Children must be well looked following, no matter where they come from. And that is “certainly the case” in the federal care system.
As part of the financial equalization, the expansion of child care was agreed. The federal government will make a total of 4.5 billion euros available for this purpose by 2030. It’s too little if, in addition to expansion, we should also invest in maintenance and quality, say cities and municipalities. Raab referred to a study by the EcoAustria Institute, according to which 4.5 billion euros are needed so that every family that needs a childcare place gets one. A “game changer” is that the federal government can now subsidize the states not only for the construction of new kindergartens, but also for staff.
Focus on protection once morest violence
In women’s policy this year, Raab wants to focus on protection from violence. After the first violence clinics have been set up in Vienna and Graz, this program is to be expanded to the West. The budget for girls’ and women’s advisory facilities should also be increased.
Raab wants to continue pursuing the projects still open in the coalition of automatic pension splitting and setting the marriage age from 18. With the former, the minister wants to combat poverty among women in old age and with the latter once morest forced marriage.
ORF committee reform
The Constitutional Court has declared the composition of the ORF Foundation and Audience Council to be unlawful because the government’s influence is excessive. Media Minister Raab wants to take her time with committee reform and possibly leave it to the next government. It’s legitimate to think regarding it, says Raab. What SPÖ and Neos dislike is that they are both pushing for rapid reform.
