Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move Greens amendment 1 on sheet 5595:

(1)    Schedule 1, page 4 (after line 24), after item 2, insert:

2A  Section 117

Omit “A person’s disability support pension rate”, substitute “Subject to section 117A, a person’s disability support pension rate”.

2B  After section 117

Insert:

117A Increased pension rate for disability support pensioners

        (1)    If:

             (a)    a person is qualified for the disability support pension under this Part; and

             (b)    the disability support pension is payable to that person under this Part; and

             (c)    the person is not a member of a couple;

then, for the purpose of making payments under Division 4 of Part 3 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1991, the person’s disability support pension rate is worked out by adding an amount equivalent to $30 per week to the person’s disability support pension rate calculated under section 117.

        (2)    To avoid doubt, the disability support pension rate determined under this section is not to be used for any other purpose, including for the calculation of any other benefit or fee under this Act or any other Act.

This amendment will enable the provisions in the bill to apply to a person who receives the single disability support pension. According to my figures, there are 464,230 of these people in Australia. As I articulated in my speech on the second reading, these pensioners are also doing it exceedingly tough; in fact, these pensioners are doing it even tougher than people on the single aged pension because they in fact did not receive the bonus. I sent a letter to the government asking why, and I am still seeking a response from the government as to why they did not receive a bonus. They did receive the utility payments, and I acknowledge that.

However, it was not until I asked a question in estimates that we managed to get people on the disability pension the utility payment for internet services through their mobile phone. Some disability pensioners are doing it so tough that they cannot even afford a computer, let alone in fact the internet. One of my constituents was using his mobile phone for his internet connection, and was told that he could not get the payments that disability pensioners are getting for utilities for an internet connection through a mobile phone. However, subsequent to me asking questions in estimates, that person is now getting the payment for accessing the internet through his mobile phone.

This to me highlighted the fact that people cannot even participate in what the broader community participates in every day. We accept being able to access the internet as an everyday occurrence, and yet people on the pension cannot afford that. People on a single aged pension cannot afford that; people on the disability pension cannot afford that; people on the carers allowance cannot afford that. We would not consider this a luxury. This is an everyday activity that we take for granted.

I was listening to something on the radio this morning about how important the internet had been for someone suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It enabled that young lady to be able to communicate, understand her illness better and participate in the community. She was unable to participate physically or by meeting people. But she was able to connect through the internet. That is just one example.

These people cannot afford to participate in the community. They cannot make ends meet. Disability pensioners are doing it just as tough; in fact, as I articulated, they are doing it slightly tougher in fact than single age pensioners, because they do not have some of the additional support that single age pensioners have got—which is not saying a lot, when single age pensioners, as we know and as has been articulated extensively in this chamber today, cannot make ends meet.

We believe that, in fairness, disability support pensioners should also receive the $30 a week increase that single age pensioners would get if this bill were passed. We believe that people on the single disability pension should be able to access that $30 a week increase as well. That would make a significant difference for them in meeting their everyday expenses.