Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Hawke for his question. I hope his voice gets better soon. Since coming to government, we have been working for the Australian people every single day because we know that many people are doing it tough right now and they expect us to assist where we can to help with cost of living, particularly for those on the lowest income, and that is exactly what we are doing.

In my portfolio of social services, the government has been delivering extra help, including to single parents, renters, older Australians, and those who are unemployed or who are studying. In just over two weeks time, from 20 September, additional support will flow to people on a range of different social security payments and supports. Through our changes to the single parenting payment, we are providing more support to more single parents. We are increasing support to low-income renters with the biggest increase to maximum rates of rent assistance in over 30 years. We are providing more support for people on the lowest income support payments who are particularly feeling the cost-of-living pressures. People on most working age and student payments will receive an increase on their base rates, and in recognition that older Australians can face additional barriers to work we're also extending access to the higher rate of JobSeeker to people over the age of 55.

An example of how these changes could help is that, on 20 September, a single jobseeker with no dependants will receive a base increase of $56 per fortnight. With this increase, in just over 12 months the JobSeeker base rate will have gone up by $106 a fortnight. If this person is also in receipt of rent assistance on the maximum rate, they will receive an additional boost to their fortnightly income to support them with the increased cost of rent. This is practical assistance, and it means more money in the pockets of those doing it toughest, and it will make a difference.

Of course, we've also complemented these changes with help with power bills, access to cheaper medicines through the changes to the PBS and, of course, the biggest boost in Medicare and incentivising bulk-billing. Many of these benefits will also flow to more people as a result of Labor's changes last year to raise the income limits for access to the Commonwealth seniors health card. More than 20,000 additional older Australians now have access to the benefits that this card brings, because of our changes.

Labor is working hard every day to help Australians with the cost of living. This stands in stark contrast with those opposite, who— (Time expired)

See this speech in context