Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

Let me just again confirm for Senator McKim that the position of the government is that eligibility for the coronavirus supplement is based on the following income support payment categories: jobseeker payment, and all payments progressively transitioning to jobseeker payment—partner allowance, widow allowance, sickness allowance and wife pension; youth allowance; parenting payment, partnered and single; farm household allowance; and special benefit. There are about another million visa holders that we have added—and I've said previously, earlier today. Access to jobseeker payment and youth allowance is available to people residing in Australia who are Australian citizens and permanent residents. It will not be available to people in Australia on temporary visas, other than some people in limited circumstances on special category visas. Australia's social security system is a non-contributory, residence based system. It is designed to support primarily Australian citizens and permanent residents. In relation to those on a permanent residency visa, for those who are still serving a newly arrived resident's waiting period, as I've indicated to the chamber before, the government has decided to waive the newly arrived resident's waiting period temporarily, in order to assist permanent residents to get access to the jobseeker payment. Generally, residency requirements will still apply, and most temporary visa holders do not qualify for jobseeker payment and other forms of income support. However, special benefit is available to specified temporary visa holders, as I've also previously advised the chamber. The classes of temporary visa holders eligible for special benefit are specified in a legislative instrument and currently include: temporary partner visas, temporary humanitarian visas, and bridging visas for victims of human trafficking. The Minister for Families and Social Services has the ability to declare new visa types to be eligible for special benefit—visa types such as temporary resident, other employment, and temporary resident, skilled employment, which will be included by the minister in the near future. We are not proposing to expand the eligibility for the coronavirus supplement to visa holders beyond that.

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: The question is that the request for an amendment be agreed to.

Question negatived.

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Senator Siewert, you would like it recorded?