Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Ending the Poverty Trap) Bill 2018, which my fantastic and dedicated colleague Senator Siewert has brought before this parliament once again. I laud her for doing so.

It brings to mind the purpose of us being here. We've just heard Senator Dodson deliver, in the main, a really moving speech which set out all of the beautiful arguments for the economic and social imperative for increasing Newstart. Very disappointingly, at the end of his speech he just described the whole exercise as, 'We've wasted a bit of time this morning in talking about these issues,' because he thinks that the government isn't going to do this. Well, what's the point of parliament if we are not here to advocate for the right thing to do to help people and to argue our case for good policy measures that help genuine human beings? That is, in fact, our job: to be in here and represent them.

So I feel very disappointed at the lack of hope. Sure, we've got a hideous government that doesn't give a damn about anyone except its wealthy donors; but we see positive steps, with people in the business community calling for an increase in Newstart. Of course we have ACOSS and other fantastic community organisations that have long called for an increase in Newstart, but we now have people in the Nationals calling for an increase in Newstart and we now have people in the Labor ranks calling for an increase in Newstart. So I just don't accept that it is a waste of time for us to continue to raise this and to put out the actual experiences of people who are being forced to live so far below the poverty line. It is beyond a lack of dignity; it is a crime, in my view. I think that is actually a really important task for us. That is how we convince people to change their minds and to do the right thing, to step up and actually act like a government and act in the interests of people.

The evidence is really clear. We saw, just two weeks ago, in some misguided attempt at economic stimulus, $158 billion dished out—$90-odd billion of which is going to people who are already extremely wealthy. All of the economic commentators say that is not the way to create stimulus. Those people will bank that money. We have three million Australians who are living in poverty, below the poverty line, on Newstart. If they want economic stimulus, even if they don't care about the human face of these people—and it's pretty clear that they haven't so far—then lift Newstart. These people are desperate to spend that money because they don't actually have enough money to meet their basic needs. I'm sure they want a second-hand pair of shoes to go to that interview. I'm sure they want the bus fare or the petrol money to get to that interview. I'm sure they want to buy their child lunch for school.

These are real people we are talking about, and it's very disappointing, when there is clear drive in the community and across the business and community sectors—and now amongst the backbench—for this to happen, that hope is given up too early. We will not give up fighting for this, and more and more people are going to join the call for this. I think it's inevitable that we will get an increase in Newstart, because that is actually our job here in parliament. It's to act in the interests of Australians. It is perfectly clear, when you have three million Australians who cannot afford to feed their children or to get to a job interview, that there is an unmet need here. I have confidence that ultimately this rate will be lifted, and I, personally, hope that it's by more than $75.

They have to live on 40 bucks a day, and after they've paid their rent it's less than $17. It often gets asked rhetorically, 'Could you live on $40 a day?' It's just really embarrassing to listen to people like Minister Cormann refuse to answer that question. The answer is obvious: no-one can live on $40 a day, let alone for the average of three years that we condemn people to live on it for. Why don't they just come out and be honest about it? A transition payment! I wish! But there are actually more people than jobs. The statistics show that it's a good three years that people are stuck on it. In fact, 15 per cent of people have been on it for more than five years. A particularly heartbreaking thing is that these are often older workers. These people are desperate to get back into the workforce. No-one will hire them.

When you add to that the housing crisis that we are in—and we saw that Anglicare study, I think, last year; Senator Siewert reminded me of it earlier. It showed that, actually, there was one property in the whole of the nation that was considered affordable to rent if you were on Newstart. That is one property for the three million people that are in poverty on Newstart. If the government aren't going to raise Newstart, what are they going to do about fixing the housing crisis? Unfortunately, they will not do much, by the sound of their policy platform. They'd rather run scare campaigns about franking credits for rich people.

I am very embarrassed by the agenda of this government and I think it brings the entire institution into disrepute when we see massive tax cuts handed out to wealthy people, massive corporate tax cuts and favours done for big donors, while ordinary Australians and the environment on which we all rely are utterly neglected, derided and degraded. The cheek of you. Have some dignity, have some compassion and please reflect on what your role is in this place. Are you here just to go out for lunch with lobbyists and line up the job that you want to move into after you finish in politics? I hope that doesn't describe everyone in this place. I certainly know it doesn't describe us Greens. But, seriously, we've got an opportunity to do the right thing here.

I also heard one of our newer senators describe this bill as a stunt. We in this party will continue to raise issues that need action. We will continue to stand up for people that deserve a bit of extra help in this incredibly wealthy nation of ours, where the gap between the wealthy and the have-nots is growing. We make no apology for putting these issues on the agenda. You might find it awkward, inconvenient or a waste of time, as it was, sadly, described, but we do not. There are three million people that need our help. It's up to you how you vote on this bill, and I believe you're not even going to let us have a vote on this bill today. When this bill does eventually come to a vote, I hope that people vote with their conscience and vote according to their professed values. Let's just get this done, folks. Let's be honest; we spend a lot of time wasting time in this place. This is one of the real issues that could materially improve people's lives. We could help many millions of people, hundreds of thousands of those children. What more noble and worthy cause could there be?

So I urge people to back up the pretty words, to back up your backbench statements supporting this and to listen to the business community that wants this done. You normally listen to them on everything else; I don't know why you've got a tin ear when it comes to increasing Newstart. Please, let's get this done, folks. Let's actually rise out of the mud and the embarrassment of the way in which this place normally conducts itself and do something good for a change.