Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all parliamentary colleagues who have spoken on the bill today. The Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 modifies the Social Security Act 1991 to provide additional support to people receiving working-age payments as they transition back to employment. Everyone receiving the JobSeeker payment, youth allowance, youth disability support pension, parenting payment, Austudy, special benefit, partner allowance, widow allowance, Abstudy (living allowance), farm household allowance or payments made under the Department of Veterans' Affairs education schemes will receive an extra $50 a fortnight, commencing 1 April this year. This will be in addition to the usual indexation of payments on 20 March. The bill also permanently increases the income-free area to $150 per fortnight for the JobSeeker payment and youth allowance (other) from 1 April 2021, allowing people to keep more of what they earn as they reconnect with the labour market.

The temporary measures which were in place from the beginning of the pandemic are no longer required. The economy and labour market are recovering, and the vaccine rollout is already underway. The bill extends the waiver of the ordinary waiting period for the parenting payment, JobSeeker payment and youth allowance for a further three months, until 30 June this year. The bill also extends, to 30 June 2021, expanded access to JobSeeker payment and youth allowance (other) for persons who find themselves having to self-isolate or caring for someone who is self-isolating, due to the pandemic. It also extends, until 30 June 2021, the portability period for certain age pensions and the disability support pension for people with significant disability. This means pensioners unable to return to, or depart from, Australia within 26 weeks due to travel restrictions resulting from COVID-19 will have their entitlement maintained until 30 June this year, as though they've been able to return home as planned.

The measures in the bill have an estimated cost of approximately $9 billion over the forwards, including $700 million in 2021. I commend the bill to the House.

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