Literature (non-fiction): Half a Citizen: Life on welfare in Australia
Half a Citizen draws on in-depth interviews with 150 welfare recipients to reveal people struggling to get by on a low income, the anxieties of balancing paid work with income support
About this winner
- Year: 2011
- Level: Winner
- Award category: Media award
About the 2011 nomination
Half a Citizen draws on in-depth interviews with 150 welfare recipients to reveal people struggling to get by on a low income, the anxieties of balancing paid work with income support, and how unstable housing makes it difficult to get ahead.
By investigating the lives beyond statistics, Half a Citizen also explodes powerful myths and assumptions on which welfare policy is based. These stories of resilience and passion bear no resemblance to the clichéd images of dependence, laziness and social isolation which sometimes underpin social policy and media debate.
Authors: John Murphy, Suellen Murray, Jenny Chalmers, Sonia Martin & Greg Martson
About the Human Rights Awards
The Australian Human Rights Awards is an inspirational showcase of the best in all of us. The Awards honour and celebrate diverse human rights heroes and significant achievements in protecting and promoting human rights in Australia.