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

I rise this evening to speak on the government's intention to return the JobSeeker payment to $40 a day. Despite still being in the midst of a pandemic and a recession, in just 58 days this government will end the JobSeeker COVID supplement, condemning over a million Australians to a payment of $40 a day.

The COVID supplement, first introduced at the rate of $550 a fortnight in March 2020, transformed people's lives and lifted millions out of poverty. It was the first time the unemployment payment was at a rate above the poverty line in 25 years. The COVID supplement of $550 a fortnight enabled people on the JobSeeker payment, youth allowance and the parenting payment to afford nutritious food, three meals a day, children's school activities, essential medications, housing costs, new clothing and shoes, heating and cooling, amongst other things. Since March last year, my office has been contacted by many, many people who have shared with us the impact on their lives of, for once, being able to live above the poverty line because of this $550-a-fortnight COVID supplement.

I want to share with the Senate the positive impacts of no longer living below the poverty line and having to choose between paying rent and buying groceries. These are the lived experiences of people who have outlined their circumstances to us. One said: 'With the increase we could afford to make necessary repairs to our only car. We didn't have to stress about going to the doctor or affording the medication we needed. We were able to pay off our credit card debt completely. Every cutback in the payment has meant an increase in our financial stress. It won't be long before our credit card debt climbs again as we try to make ends meet. Because of the increase we are able to afford better quality groceries. I was able to buy new clothes for the first time in years. I have health issues, so I could afford to get a cab or Uber to a doctor's appointment during the pandemic rather than taking the bus.'

Another person said: 'I was able to get my car serviced and pay a bunch of bills. I was able to happily look for work knowing I didn't have to worry about affording petrol money or lunches. I got casual work, which was just enough for me to do, but the money was low. The supplement helped me retain a proper wage and keep a roof over my head.'

Another person said: 'With the $550 COVID supplement I was able to buy food, pay my bills and pay for my medications. The JobSeeker rate without the COVID supplement would either pay the rent or buy food. So it always came down to paying the rent.'

Another person said: 'The rise in the JobSeeker rate during COVID meant that I could buy my own food and cease going to the Salvos for food. I could also pay my rates, water and electricity bills. I thankfully now have a casual job, but you never know what's going to happen, especially with COVID. The old rate was inhumane. I went to see a dentist for the first time in my entire adult life. I got my car rego paid without having to take money out of my food budget. I actually had a budget that wasn't in negatives. I was able to replace some of my oldest furniture with good-quality replacements that will last longer than something cheap. Besides that, we all spent the money. We all kept the economy going. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do now.'

These are the lived experiences of people who had been trying to exist on the previous JobSeeker payment. We are still in a pandemic. We are still in a recession. You heard what people have said about how the supplement improved their lives so they didn't have to choose between paying the rent and buying food, so they could go to the dentist and so they could actually take steps that helped improve their employment prospects. Taking this payment back to $40 a day condemns people to poverty and makes it even harder for them to find work. Permanently increase the JobSeeker payment so we no longer condemn people to this abject poverty.