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

The noes have it.

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Senator Siewert, you would like it to be recorded in the Hansard and the Journals that the Australian Greens supported that amendment?

Yes, please.

Question agreed to.

I'd now like to move Greens' request 1, which is sheet 8915:

(1) Schedule 11, page 55 (after line 23), after item 6, insert:

6A At the end of Division 4 of Part 2.2

Add:

56 COVID-19 supplement

(1) If a person is receiving:

(a) an age pension; and

(b) rent assistance;

the rate of the person's age pension is increased by the amount of the COVID-19 supplement. The increase begins on 27 April 2020.

(2) In this section:

rent assistance means an amount paid or payable under this Act to help cover the cost of rent.

Cessation of supplement

(3) This section ceases to apply at the end of:

(a) the period (the initial period ) of 6 months beginning on the day on which this section commences, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if a period is extended under subsection (4)—the extended period.

(4) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, extend the initial period (or that period as extended one or more times under this subsection) by a period not exceeding 3 months. The Minister must be satisfied that the extension is in response to circumstances relating to the coronavirus known as COVID-19.

Amount of supplement

(5) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of the initial period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is:

(a) $550, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if an amount is determined under subsection (6)—that amount.

(6) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine an amount for the purposes of paragraph (5) (b).

(7) For any extension period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement is to be worked out in accordance with a determination under subsection (8).

(8) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, make a determination for the purposes of subsection (7).

(9) Without limiting subsection (8), the determination may provide that the amount of COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is nil for specified persons.

6B At the end of Division 5 of Part 2.3

Add:

121 COVID-19 supplement

(1) If a person is receiving a disability support pension, the rate of the person's disability support pension is increased by the amount of the COVID-19 supplement. The increase begins on 27 April 2020.

Cessation of supplement

(2) This section ceases to apply at the end of:

(a) the period (the initial period ) of 6 months beginning on the day on which this section commences, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if a period is extended under subsection (3)—the extended period.

(3) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, extend the initial period (or that period as extended one or more times under this subsection) by a period not exceeding 3 months. The Minister must be satisfied that the extension is in response to circumstances relating to the coronavirus known as COVID-19.

Amount of supplement

(4) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of the initial period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is:

(a) $550, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if an amount is determined under subsection (5)—that amount.

(5) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine an amount for the purposes of paragraph (4) (b).

(6) For any extension period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement is to be worked out in accordance with a determination under subsection (7).

(7) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, make a determination for the purposes of subsection (6).

(8) Without limiting subsection (7), the determination may provide that the amount of COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is nil for specified persons.

6C At the end of Division 4 of Part 2.5

Add:

211 COVID-19 supplement

(1) If a person is receiving carer payment, the rate of the person's carer payment is increased by the amount of the COVID-19 supplement. The increase begins on 27 April 2020.

Cessation of supplement

(2) This section ceases to apply at the end of:

(a) the period (the initial period ) of 6 months beginning on the day on which this section commences, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if a period is extended under subsection (3)—the extended period.

(3) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, extend the initial period (or that period as extended one or more times under this subsection) by a period not exceeding 3 months. The Minister must be satisfied that the extension is in response to circumstances relating to the coronavirus known as COVID-19.

Amount of supplement

(4) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of the initial period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is:

(a) $550, unless paragraph (b) applies; or

(b) if an amount is determined under subsection (5)—that amount.

(5) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine an amount for the purposes of paragraph (4) (b).

(6) For any extension period, the amount of the COVID-19 supplement is to be worked out in accordance with a determination under subsection (7).

(7) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, make a determination for the purposes of subsection (6).

(8) Without limiting subsection (7), the determination may provide that the amount of COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is nil for specified persons.

[extending eligibility for COVID-19 supplement]

Statement pursuant to the order of

the Senate of 26 June 2000

Amendment (1)

Amendment (1) is framed as a request because it amends Schedule 11 to the bill in a way that would increase expenditure under the standing appropriation in section 242 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 .

The effect of the amendment would be to extend the COVID-19 supplement to persons receiving the disability support pension and carer payment, and persons who receive both the age pension and Commonwealth rent assistance.

The amendment would therefore increase the amount of expenditure under the standing appropriation in section 242 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 .

Statement by the Clerk of the Senate pursuant

to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

Amendment (1)

If the effect of the amendment is to increase expenditure under the standing appropriation in section 242 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 then it is in accordance with the precedents of the Senate that the amendment be moved as a request.

This relates to people on the disability support pension and the carer payment, but also those on the age pension if they receive Commonwealth rent assistance. This is because, as I highlighted in my second reading contribution, we think these groups of people deserve to get the $550 supplement. We disagree with the government. We think there will be extra costs for these particular groups of people because disabled people will face increased costs in accessing services and basic household goods. Because many of them are very vulnerable to this particular virus, they will need very good personal protection equipment in order to remain healthy. Those that are on carer payments will also be at increased risk and they will also have increased costs.

We know that a lot of older Australians and people on the age pension are living in poverty. And that group living in poverty is very strongly dominated by those that don't own their own home and are paying rent. Let's face it, that particular group of people need to be particularly careful about self-isolating because they are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. We know that from what's happening globally. That's why we think it's important that these particular groups of people should also get access to the supplement. There are provisions in the bill to enable the minister to make the supplement available to other payments—and we have discussed that. Again, as I highlighted in my second reading contribution, we want to end the uncertainty for people to make sure that they get access to the payment as soon as possible.