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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. I note that even John Howard—the architect of Welfare to Work—has joined businesses, community organisations and the public in calling for an increase to Newstart. As I'm sure the minister knows, the current maximum single rate of Newstart is just $545.80 per fortnight and that has not increased in real terms for two decades. Does the minister concede that the support payment is unliveable? Could the minister live on it herself?