Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's a pleasure to rise to speak on the Social Services and Other legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Safety Net) Bill 2023. As outlined by the shadow minister, the opposition will be supporting the majority of the provisions in this bill, including expanding the eligibility for assistance for single parents, the higher rate of JobSeeker for those over 55 and the increase in Commonwealth rent assistance. But we call on the government to support the coalition's superior policy to increase the amount jobseekers can earn before it impacts on their payment, and that's the amendment and the contribution that I want to focus on this afternoon.

When in government the coalition, through disciplined economic management, was able to deliver one of the largest permanent increases to the JobSeeker income support payment. While in opposition, Labor criticised the coalition government in the face of this increase to JobSeeker at that time.

In the last 30 years, no government has done more for Australians doing it tough than the former coalition government through a range of measures over our time in government. In contrast, while in opposition Labor continually called for the government to increase the rate of JobSeeker, going to the 2019 election pledging to review welfare payments, yet on the eve of last year's election Labor dumped that policy and stakeholders rightly condemned the Labor Party for backflipping on reviewing the payment.

It remains disappointing to see that the government clearly has no plan to address the issues facing those Australians within our welfare system and no plan to provide real relief through the cost-of-living crisis. We've just heard from the member for Fowler a particular story, and I can say that those stories equally apply across my electorate of Forde.

I think it's important in this debate to focus on the coalition's record whilst we were in government. Through the height of the pandemic we provided $32 billion in emergency support payments, and, on top of that, we delivered one of the largest increases to unemployment benefits since 1986. We saw the unemployment rate hit a record 50-year low, and it has had a three in front of it for more than a year. From 1 April 2021, the coalition increased working-age payment rates, including JobSeeker, by $50, and permanently increased the income-free areas to $150 per fortnight to support jobseekers as they secured employment and re-entered the workforce.

Every dollar we spend is a dollar someone else has earned, so it is incumbent on us to ensure that spending on our social security safety net is sustainable into the future and goes to those who need it most. We should be proud in this country of the social security safety net that we have. Few other countries provide the strong safety net available in Australia, and the JobSeeker payment is not meant as a salary or wage replacement but is meant as a payment to tide people over between one job and the next.

As we stand here, the labour market remains very tight with over 438,000 job vacancies, and there are over 840,000 JobSeeker recipients of which more than 75 per cent have no reported earnings. That is, no part-time work. As we've seen many times in this place, Labor continues to fail jobseekers, business, communities and taxpayers across the country by doing nothing to alleviate the entrenched disadvantage and to further incentivise jobseekers to take up employment opportunities.

As I go around my electorate and speak to business, from small to medium to large, they are all looking to bring more staff on board. Frequently they complain to me about what they call people just coming in and 'ticking a box' to meet their mutual obligation requirements. These people actually don't have a genuine desire to find a job and work. Yet the opportunity is there for those people to actually take a job and start to build their lives. We all know that creating jobs and getting people back into work is the best way to improve the living standards of people and their families. The value of employment is evident across so many aspects of the lives of everyday Australians. It integrates individuals into broader networks, which they would otherwise not be exposed to. Particularly on a social and community level, it enables them to participate more fully in society. It empowers an individual in their own personal life, delivering a financial independence and freedom that comes with it while assisting with mental and physical health. In direct contrast, the longer impact of sustained unemployment is also well documented. It is not just the individual that suffers but society as a whole, as we're not seeing these people's true potential being realised.

Some of the costs of long-term unemployment may include social exclusion; reduction in freedoms due to not having the finances or ability to get out and about; loss of learned skills; psychological harm, such as depression and anxiety; ill health and reduced life expectancy; loss of motivation; undermining of family relationships; inequality across racial and gender lines; loss of social responsibility, values and participation; and loss of national output and income. All of those things that I've just listed should give pause for thought as to why there should be encouragement and support systems in place to get people who are unemployed into work, particularly when we see the mismatch of so many vacancies and so many people on JobSeeker.

It goes to show that, by unnecessarily prolonging an individual's unemployment, those who are already our most financially disadvantaged are further burdened through greater social—or societal—mental and physical imposts. This is why the Leader of the Opposition announced increasing the amount that can be earned before benefits are reduced, incentivising jobseekers to take up employment opportunities. Increasing the amount that can be earned supports jobseekers and the many small-to-medium businesses that are crying out for workers and have been left stranded by the Albanese government.

The coalition also recognises the crucial role single parents have in the lives of their children. As I said earlier, we'll support expanding eligibility for assistance for single parents, which the government under former prime minister Julia Gillard previously cut. This is an important payment that will help single parents and children when they need it most, during those formative years.

The coalition also understands the unique challenges older Australians face when seeking to re-enter the workforce. Sadly, I have had more than one discussion with a constituent over 55—or even over 50—who is looking to get back into the workforce about the difficulty and resistance they get from employers when seeking to do so. I would take this opportunity to ask employers out there this question: Why are you not taking advantage of employing older Australians, who have a tremendous set of life skills, a tremendous set of work skills and a tremendous work ethic, and want to genuinely contribute to our community by working? It is an enormous untapped resource. I think if our business community could take it on board it would benefit all of us.

At a time of increasing rents, with the government's housing policy in tatters, the coalition will support the increase to Commonwealth rent assistance. Increasing how much people can earn before their benefits are reduced also incentivises jobseekers to take up opportunities. In conclusion, the coalition has a proven track record in delivering support to those on JobSeeker throughout the pandemic, while still getting people back into work. Our alternative approach to these amendments will only further support low-income Australians. I commend the member for Deakin's amendments to the House.

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