Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Labor thinks Newstart is too low. It's so low that it is preventing people from getting work—they can't afford the clothes, the transport or essentials—and it's so low that it's causing real hardship for many, many Australians. We've been saying that for a long time now. And of course we went to the last election with a clear commitment to review the rate—to have a review to make sure Newstart was adequate to support people into work and keep them out of poverty, just like Labor reviewed the rate of the pension when we were last in government and delivered a significant increase to payments.

But we didn't win the election, and the responsibility for taking action over the next three years rests squarely with government. It's time the Liberals and Nationals stopped demonising people on social security. In the last term of parliament, they tried to cut Newstart by scrapping the energy supplement, and that is the sorry record of this government when it comes to looking after the most vulnerable.