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

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 1163 standing in my name for today relating to Anti-Poverty Week.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Anti-Poverty Week was from 14 October to 20 October 2018,

(ii) in Australia, which is ranked as the second wealthiest county in the world, there are currently 3 million people in Australia living in poverty, including 739 000 children,

(iii) Australia has no poverty reduction plan, and despite economic growth, poverty levels have remained entrenched at a high level,

(iv) Newstart and Youth Allowance have not had an increase in real terms since 1994, and

(v) the poverty rate for sole parents rose from 35% in 2013 to 59% in 2015, and rates of poverty for sole parents remain high; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to abandon their punitive approach to social policy and the demonisation of those accessing the social safety net, and acknowledge that the current rate of Newstart is too low and is a barrier to people participating in the workforce.

(c) calls on the Federal Government to increase Newstart and Youth Allowance by $75 a week.