The rate of Newstart Allowance is substantially lower than the current minimum wage of $1,244.40 per fortnight or the rate of pensions, such as the Disability Support Pension which is $827.10 per fortnight (with supplements) for a single person (Fair Work Ombudsman, 2013; Department of Human Services, 2014).urrent structure of the programme. To receive Newstart Allowance a person has to be unemployed and aged over 22. As at January 2014, the payment rate of Newstart Allowance was $501.00 per fortnight for single people, or $452.30 each for a couple (Department of Human Services, 2014).