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

When the government was looking at the cost-of-living package that we have put forward, we looked at a range of measures. We have increased the rate of working-age and student payments by $40 for JobSeeker, youth allowance, parenting payment and a range of other measures. We have extended the eligibility for parenting payment to having a youngest child under 14 years of age. We've increased Commonwealth rent assistance and also, of course, have increased the eligibility for the higher rate of JobSeeker to those who are 55—down from 60.

This package is a substantive package. It's a package that is targeted. It has been thought through and does complement our other measures in the budget, which include a bulk-billing incentive, tripling the bulk-billing incentive payments, cheaper medicines and, of course, energy relief. Together, these measures, we believe, provide targeted, important cost-of-living relief to those who are most vulnerable, and that is what we're putting forward in this budget.

If there are more questions, I might let people ask them and then I'll respond at the end.

Bill agreed to.

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