Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Walsh for the question. Inflation is moderating, and we welcome that, but we know that it will remain higher than we'd like for longer than we'd like. We monitor these pressures closely, and our plan is aimed at delivering that cost-of-living relief without adding to the inflation challenge. Those measures include the electricity bill relief, cheaper child care, increased rent assistance and the Medicare bulk-billing initiative, all of which we've been rolling out since budget day; the cheaper medicines; and the boosting of income support payments. In particular, on 20 September—so since we last met—there has been that important increase to payments, so JobSeeker payment recipients will now receive a base payment of $749.20 per fortnight, a $56 increase, and parenting payment (single) recipients will receive an extra $227.50 per fortnight compared to their current rate. No doubt these increases will support those households doing it tough right now.