Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Bilyk I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) economists, business groups and civil society organisations are calling for a permanent increase to unemployment payments, including the Business Council of Australia, Australian Council of Social Service, Reserve Bank of Australia, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and Australian Retailers Association;

  (ii) the Coronavirus Supplement is scheduled to cease entirely in December, reducing the base rate of JobSeeker to $565 a fortnight – a rate which is so low it traps people in poverty,

  (iii) the number of people relying on unemployment payments has more than doubled since the beginning of the year, and

  (iv) Government legislation proposes to make people with modest savings wait six months to access JobSeeker Payment, leaving people without a buffer; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

  (i) delay its plans to re-introduce the liquid assets waiting period and dump its legislation to double the waiting period to six months, and

  (ii) permanently increase the rate of JobSeeker so people can afford to live with dignity and pay for the basics they need to get back to work.