Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

That got them going, didn’t it! We have been able to get the liquid assets test, which applies before the unemployed are eligible for Newstart allowance, increased from $2,500 to $5,000. I remind the opposition that in 1997 it was the Howard government that imposed this harmful, punitive measure on people who lost their jobs. They said, ‘You’ve got to use your savings before you’ll get some unemployment assistance.’ That was a punitive measure by the Howard government. The Greens, in cooperation with the government, have been able to have that reversed. We would like to see it removed altogether.

There are $200 million in grants to local government, churches and other community organisations for job creation. That part of the package negotiated by the Greens alone contains 6,000 to 7,000 jobs.