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

and I thank you for the cheers. I welcome the fact that Senator Rice adopts the position that she advocates. There are many people in the community who live on the Newstart rate and find it very difficult to live on. The government has made it very clear that if we could raise the rate, we would, and that we will consider it in the light of every budget. The government is responsible for managing the fiscal circumstances of the budget. We've made it clear that we will consider it in the light of every budget, in terms of its circumstances as we come on, and we will not be supporting the amendment today.