Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I have some questions, probably for the assistant minister. On budget night, of course, we heard about the government's new measure for those young people under the age of 30 who would be on Newstart; who are in stream 1 and stream 2 and who would be without a Newstart payment for six months. I think the government is calling it 'a non-payment period' of Newstart for six months for those job seekers under 30 who are in those streams. We also heard in estimates that it is possible that penalties will apply to people during these six months and that there will be an activity test. I am particularly keen for the minister to outline to us what evaluation has been done and whether or not this will lead to better job outcomes? I would like the minister to confirm whether or not that six months could actually be up to several months longer, because penalties could be applied? And what would be the total amount of time that somebody might be without Newstart payment and would activities apply for that whole period of time that they are without payment?

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