Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister should drop his cruel plan to make people wait 26 weeks to get unemployment support if they have modest savings. This false economy means people are forced to run down to their last dollar and makes it more likely they will face hardship, like struggling to pay their mortgage or keeping a car on the road. It also means people are more likely to need to rely on other services like food banks and emergency relief. If people have no buffer at all, it means they can't meet medical bills, they can't keep up with the mortgage while they look for work and they can't afford to move. This has a huge impact on relationships and on mental health. That is what this parliament should really be focused on—people, and helping them get through the tough times before the pandemic does finally subside. It should not be our role to make matters worse when people are already facing a dark hour.

Labor has called on the government to continue the liquid assets waiting period suspension. I hope those opposite will have the courage and the sense to support this amendment, which will allow people who have built up a modest buffer to keep some control and some dignity when they face unemployment.

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