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

I'd like to thank the member for Makin for that question. The Albanese government is delivering a responsible budget that provides cost-of-living help now, builds a stronger and more resilient economy, and invests in a future made in Australia. In my portfolio, Social Services, we are providing more assistance for those who rely on it. This includes a further increase in the maximum rate of Commonwealth rent assistance, benefiting close to one million households. Since we were elected, the maximum rate of rent assistance has increased by 42 per cent. We will expand eligibility for the higher rate of JobSeeker, to help those who are only able to work up to 14 hours a week, and give more flexibility to those on carer payment who want to do more work, study or volunteering. We've also frozen deeming rates for a further 12 months so that part-pensioners, along with other income support recipients, can keep more of what they earn on their investments. This is in addition to other cost-of-living relief across the government, including providing energy rebates for all householders, delivering cheaper medicines and, of course, giving all Australians a tax cut from 1 July.

Our assistance has been welcomed by many, including groups such as the Council on the Ageing and National Seniors, with the Council on the Ageing saying this week that our rent assistance changes were welcomed by many. Unfortunately, this positive response to supporting those on payments with the cost of living is not shared by those opposite. On Sunday, the member for Hume suggested he would cut so-called unrestrained spending. The spending he was referring to includes the cost of indexing pensions and working age payments. These are critically important to keeping up with the cost of living. The Leader of the Opposition needs to come clean with the Australian people tonight. Does he agree with his shadow Treasurer that this spending is not necessary?

We all know the coalition has form when it comes to cutting support payments. Who could forget the promise that there'd be no cuts to pensions in 2013. In 2014 there were cuts to pensions across the board.

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