Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering incentives to help more Australians take up work as one of the immediate actions of the employment white paper?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Swan for her question and the advocacy she provides in her electorate. Today I did introduce a bill to deliver on some of the immediate actions the government is taking to deliver on the objectives of our employment white paper. Since the Jobs and Skills Summit last year, and through the comprehensive employment white paper process led by our Treasurer, we have outlined a roadmap to how we'll achieve a vision to ensure everyone has the opportunity for secure, fairly paid work.

One of the focus areas of the white paper is about how we overcome barriers to employment and broaden opportunity. Last year we voted on a piece of legislation to temporarily boost the pensioner work bonus to support older Australians into more work if they choose. The legislation I introduced today will make these improvements to the work bonus permanent. It will give older Australians more choice and continued flexibility to participate in the workforce if they would like to. The improvements will mean all new pension entrants over age pension age will receive a $4,000 work bonus starting balance and an increase to the maximum work bonus income balance from $7,800 to $11,800—and this will be permanent. The changes will take effect from 1 July 2024, pending the passage of the legislation. This will ensure that there is no gap between the existing temporary measure and the commencement of the new ongoing provisions that we know are a positive incentive for older Australians.

This change has been endorsed by the CEO of the Council on the Ageing, Patricia Sparrow, who said, 'The incentive allows those who do wish to do more work to do so,' and she called these changes 'a great step forward'. Ian Henschke from National Seniors said, 'This puts more money into the pockets of working pensioners.'

Another immediate action this government is taking is smoothing the transition from income support to work by extending the employment income nil rate period for people on income support from 12 to 24 weeks and expanding access to those entering full-time employment. This measure is designed to address concerns that losing access to benefits, or having to reapply and wait for income support, acts as a discouragement to taking up work, particularly short-term and casual work.

These measures introduced today are practical measures to support people into work and are complemented by a range of other initiatives taken by my colleagues right across the board where this government is supporting Australians get secure, fairly paid work—and we will continue to do so.