Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. What action is the Albanese Labor government taking to provide support for some of Australia's most vulnerable people rather than punishing them?

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

I would like to thank the member for Dunkley for that question and for the passion that she shows for those most vulnerable in her community and, indeed, right around Australia. I am very pleased to announce to the House that the Albanese government's strengthening the safety net package has just passed the parliament. This package includes a range of important and targeted measures to boost support to those most vulnerable. From 20 September, more support is on its way for those who need it most. Our safety net bill will deliver more support for those relying on student and working-age payments, more support for single parents, more support for older Australians facing additional barriers to work, and more support for those that rely on Commonwealth rent assistance. These measures complement other investments in cost-of-living support, including investments in Medicare, cheaper child care, cheaper medicines and energy bill relief.

Unfortunately, not all members of this parliament wanted to provide this extra support. Those opposite moved a mean-spirited amendment to scrap the government's $40 boost to working-age and student payments, denying much-needed support to almost a million Australians.

But, of course, this is all part of the pattern by those opposite—showing contempt for those who rely on the social security system. The Liberal Party's robodebt policy demonstrated that contempt as well. Through the royal commission into robodebt, it was established that the Liberal and National parties' robodebt policy was a cruel and crude mechanism that was neither fair nor legal, and it made people feel like criminals. Of course, most people would think that was never the intention of robodebt, but it was always the intention of those opposite. None of us can forget when former minister Tudge said, 'We'll find you, we'll track you down, you will have to repay those debts and you may end up in prison.' This demonstrates the cruel and callous approach of those opposite.

The architect of robodebt, the member for Cook, regularly bragged about being a strong welfare cop. He and the opposition seem to fail to truly recognise the damage that this scheme has caused. I would encourage those opposite to remind themselves of the royal commission's report that heard the evidence from witnesses who spoke about the distress and damage. The Liberal and National parties have demonstrated time and time again that they, whether in government or opposition, take a cruel and callous approach to those who rely on our social safety net, denying them the support they need.