Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I should just indicate something after listening to some of the contributions. Firstly, Senator Hanson, if you're listening, I should indicate that I listened to your contribution and that the date that has been incorporated into the legislation is in fact 31 December, not the end of June. I thought it would just be useful to point that out at this stage.

This Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Workforce Incentive) Bill 2022 delivers one of the government's commitments to address Australia's labour market challenges through practical and targeted solutions consistent with our announcements at the Jobs and Skills Summit in early September. It strengthens existing incentives for people over the age pension age to take up work or to increase the number of hours that they work, if they wish to do so. The bill also provides that age pensioners and those receiving equivalent Department of Veterans' Affairs payments will no longer have their pensions cancelled after 12 weeks if their income, where it includes some income from employment, exceeds their income limit. Instead, they will be suspended from payment for up to two years. An abridged reapplication process will be made available to them should their income no longer preclude them from payment. Pensioners suspended from payment will keep their pensioner concession card for two years instead of it being cancelled after 12 weeks so that they retain access to a range of benefits, including cheaper prescription medicines.

The benefits of this measure also extend to partners of age pensioners, disability support pensioners and equivalent veteran payments recipients, as long as the partner is also receiving a pension. These measures will strengthen the incentives for older Australians to work and, like a series of the speakers in this debate, I hope the Senate supports the legislation quickly.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.