Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, these indexation arrangements are not a reform put in place by this government; they are a pre-existing feature of Australia's social security system. I acknowledge there is demonstrably different indexation and therefore different outcomes depending on whether one is on a pension or an allowance. I, like many other Labor senators, have received representations in relation to that.

I again make the point that it would be wrong to look at only one allowance as the only way in which this government is providing support to low-income Australians and unemployed Australians. I also make the point—and I appreciate there is a difference of views between us and Senator Siewert and her party—that we do believe that the best way to alleviate family poverty is to bring people into the workforce, to engage people and to ensure people are participating. That is the Labor government's position and has been for many years now.