Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) as of October 2019, there are 289,489 people of a total of 686,000 people on Newstart who are categorised as having a 'partial capacity to work' meaning 42% of Newstart recipients now have an illness or disability,

  (ii) 128,820 people (44%) of those with a 'partial capacity to work', have a psychological or psychiatric impairment,

  (iii) poverty is a well-established social determinant of health, including psychological health, and persistent poverty plays a demonstrable role in increasing levels of psychological distress, and

  (iv) the Minister for Health (Mr Hunt) stated on World Mental Health Day 2019 that 'supporting mental health and suicide prevention is the Government's highest health priority, and is a central feature of our Long Term National Health Plan. It is also a personal priority for the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and myself';

(b) expresses concern that so many Australians with mental ill health are being forced to live in poverty on Newstart and Youth Allowance; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to recognise the impact poverty has on mental health, and immediately increase Newstart and Youth Allowance to enable people in our community to have dignified standard of living.

Question agreed to.