Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Hansard source

Labor will support the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Low Income Supplement) Bill 2015 today, despite recognising, I have to say, that this is yet another broken promise from the Abbott-Turnbull government. Before the last election, the Liberal-National party promised to keep all of the payments associated with the clean energy future package; yet today the Liberals are abolishing one of the payments that formed part of the compensation that came with Labor's reforms to move Australia to a low-carbon economy. This supplement is paid to around 7,000 low-income Australians who do not receive the same level of assistance as other families through tax cuts or social security payments that were introduced to offset the average cost of the carbon price. It is also worth acknowledging that welfare organisations like the Australian Council of Social Service have arrived at a similar position on this measure. In a media release earlier this year, ACOSS stated that 'it is appropriate that this supplement is abolished'. ACOSS noted that the supplement had not been widely taken up since its introduction in 2012.

As we have always said, we will support sensible savings when the government puts them forward. We do understand the task of fiscal repair and we will take decisions that improve our nation's finances when appropriate. But I add that we will only do so when the savings do not offend our fundamental sense of fairness. Labor will support the bill.

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