Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There's no doubt in anyone's mind, I would think, that it is incredibly difficult to live on Newstart. The rate of Newstart is so low that it's acting as a barrier to people actually finding work. Businesses, unions and experts have all agreed on this. Indeed, the Business Council of Australia—representing the establishment, if you like, the biggest of corporate Australia—has clearly said that the rate of Newstart is too low. Most people in the parliament, I think, agree—whether publicly or privately, at the least. The member for Chisholm, however, has said publicly '$40 a day is fine, you can live on that, but there are far too many Australians who can't get a job.'

We hear a lot from the government that they have created a million jobs—the million jobs!

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