Led by the Australian Council of Social Services, and the "struggling" Barnaby Joyce, there has been a push to increase the rate of Newstart by $75, from the current single rate of $278 per week.

Those advocating the push argue that the current rate has not risen in real terms for 25 years (it only increases by inflation and is not linked to wage growth like the Age Pension).

University of Wollongong Associate Professor Martin O'Brien is the director of the Centre for Human and Social Capital Research.

"I think it's probably inevitable that Newstart will increase, but I don't think it's going to happen without there being other real changes to make things stricter at the same time," he said.

"There's been the drug testing initiative that they're looking at, and there's a lot of talk about putting a large percentage of the Newstart Allowance on a card that people can only use to buy food and necessities."

Prof O'Brien said younger unemployed people were an easy target; often viewed as lazy, "job snobs" or taking advantage of the system.

"However, according to the latest stats, more than half of Newstart recipients are over 45 years, and more than a quarter have an illness or disability," he said. "It's easy to bash the unemployed and call them the dole bludgers.

"A lot of people have the old stereotype that it's young people who are smoking dope and sleeping on the couch until midday, before peeling themselves out and maybe doing something, and just not wanting a job.

"But the reality is that it's a lot more older people now."

He also believed the major political parties' emphasis on winning votes - preferring to "target the old age pensioners first before helping people on Newstart" - was a key factor.

"I think that's pandering to the fact that there's a lot more older people nowadays, and they're a very important voting block," he said.

"And sometimes it's just easier to pick on the weak or marginalised, which is those who don't have a job."

Prof O'Brien said if Newstart is increased, a number of other initiatives needed to be looked at.

This included a review of the social security system; a more active labour market policy that creates suitable jobs opportunities for those receiving support; and increase sanctions if need be, but only after adequate support is in place for training and geographic mobility.

"If we think that we have a 'job snob' problem, the government should remove all the excuses," he said.

"But this will be put in the 'too hard' category."

Read more: Newstart allowance not enough to live on: agencies