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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Australian Greens have introduced the Coronavirus Economic Support and Recovery (No-one Left Behind) Bill 2020, which is a Bill for an Act to provide for a coronavirus economic support and recovery fund, amend the law relating to social security and expand eligibility for the JobKeeper scheme, and for related purposes, and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) make sure that no-one is left behind by the coronavirus health and economic crisis,

(ii) expand the COVID-19 supplement to recipients of the Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment,

(iii) expand JobSeeker to people on temporary visas,

(iv) expand the JobKeeper scheme to include:

(A) all casual employees,

(B) employees who hold temporary visas,

(C) intermittent workers,

(D) higher education providers, and

(E) entities owned by foreign governments who are resident in Australia, and

(v) invest in:

(A) a $2.3 billion recovery package for the arts and entertainment sector,

(B) a $12 billion manufacturing fund,

(C) a $6 billion electricity transmission fund, and

(D) a $2 billion grant to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

I'll just outline what this motion is about first. First off, it's noting the bill that the Greens have introduced, the Coronavirus Economic Support and Recovery (No-one Left Behind) Bill 2020.

This bill is for an act to provide for a coronavirus economic support and recovery fund. It amends the laws relating to social security and expands eligibility for the JobKeeper scheme and for related purposes. Then we go on to call on the government to make sure that no-one is left behind by the coronavirus health and economic crisis, that we expand the COVID-19 supplement to recipients of the disability support pension and the carer pension and expand jobseeker to people on temporary visas. We also want to make sure that the JobKeeper scheme is expanded to include all casual employees, not just those that have been working with the same employer for 12 months. We want to make sure that employees who hold temporary visas are looked after and not left behind. We want to make sure that intermittent workers are not left behind and neither are higher education providers and also that employees of entities that are owned by foreign governments and that are resident in Australia are not left behind.

We need to make sure that we are investing in a recovery package for the arts sector, which still has not been supported. I'm wondering: has the Prime Minister used the word 'art' when he talks about the impacts on our economy? We want to make sure that there's money invested in a manufacturing fund—$12 billion. We want to make sure that $6 billion is invested in an electricity transmission fund and $2 billion is invested in grants to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. All those things are absolutely essential to ensuring that no-one is left behind.

I'd like to remind the chamber that on 29 May, late on that Friday afternoon, when you release all the bad information, the Treasurer made the announcement about robodebt and the refunds of those illegal debts. But on 22 May the Treasurer announced that the JobKeeper program would cost $6 billion less than expected. While originally estimated to cost $130 billion over 2019-20 and 2020-21, it was now estimated it would be closer, in fact, to $70 billion. This was due to a revision down of the numbers of eligible workers from 6.5 million to 3.5 million. The government has not committed to reinvesting that money; in fact, they have attempted to celebrate this underspend as it will mean the Commonwealth will go into less debt. However, I will note that they had originally thought that $130 billion was necessary to invest in our community and economy.

We now have the perfect opportunity to re-allocate that $60 billion underspend both to stop people being left behind in the crisis and to invest in the recovery. We can also link this to the need to make sure that, when we're investing in the recovery, we are actually investing in renewable energies, in the transformation that we know we need to make to address that other global crisis: climate change.

As I've said, this bill invests in a number of key areas. It invests in ensuring that no-one is left behind. We want to make sure that people who missed out on the supplement—those on disability support pension carer payment—actually get access to that supplement. We want to make sure that it is available to temporary visa holders, many of whom at the moment basically have to rely on emergency relief and have no money coming in. I have heard many accounts from many people who are stuck here. When the Minister for Finance, the Prime Minister and the Treasurer say 'go home', they can't actually get home. Yes, they made a commitment to support themselves when they came to this country, but that was before this crisis. It was before we had lost so many jobs. As a caring community, we expect that we would look after these people.

As I said, we also need to invest in the arts and entertainment industry, and in manufacturing, but we want to see green manufacturing. We want to invest in new electricity transmission infrastructure and in our Australian Renewable Energy Agency. A number of my colleagues will address some significant parts of this particular need to invest in these additional resources, but I particularly want to address the issue of those who have missed out on the supplement—in particular, those on the disability support pension and those receiving the carer payment.

DSP and carer payment recipients have been excluded from the $550 per week supplement. They've been omitted on purpose. The government claims that they didn't extend the coronavirus supplement to people on these payments because they don't face the same financial burdens. That is just a complete and utter fallacy. If anything, disabled people and carers have experienced increased costs throughout this pandemic. A recent survey conducted by People with Disability Australia found that 91 per cent of respondents reported increased expenses over the last two months, mostly related to groceries and food, health care, internet, phone, and hygiene and sanitising equipment. Disabled people are being forced to make difficult choices between buying medication and PPE or putting food on the table. It is well recognised that 50 per cent of disabled people already live below the poverty line. Now, in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, additional costs are further entrenching poverty levels and causing stress and anxiety for disabled people and carers.

The government's other excuse for not extending the supplement to these payment recipients is that they don't face the same paid employment impacts as those on jobseeker or youth allowance. Again, this is another fallacy. This is incredibly hypocritical, coming from a government that is constantly trying to force disabled people into work, to the point where it tries to keep them off the disability support pension. Look no further than the program of support which forces disabled Australians to try to find work before they can qualify for the DSP. The government has also had no qualms about requiring disabled Australians to undertake mutual obligations, the phasing back in of which started this week.

We know that many disabled Australians do in fact work and have lost employment opportunities as a result of the recession and the pandemic. For example, the People with Disability Australia survey found that 66 per cent of people had seen changes to their income during the pandemic. People also reported losing their jobs and working fewer hours. Others have had to leave their jobs because they were considered vulnerable.

My office has received countless emails and phone calls from people on the DSP and the carer payment who are feeling totally abandoned and forgotten by this government. Here is what one carer who contacted us said: 'I'm a carer and just spent a week in hospital with my son—a lot longer than usually necessary because of complications with his medical device. The complications with the device produced similar symptoms to COVID-19, which meant extra days in hospital, which meant extra money spent. Hospital stay expenses add up really fast, living off expensive hospital takeaway as your only option with a sick child you can't leave and having to buy clothes, toiletries and essential items from the nearest shopping centre to get through because we live a long way from the closest hospital that can treat us.' Another person said: 'It is unfair, and discrimination to exclude DSP carers and seniors out of a big stimulus package, considering these people have higher living expenses already. They say our situation hasn't changed, but, if that's the case, why am I heading out for a fourth time this week to get some simple grocery items? Or why am I forced to pay 100 per cent more just to get simple medical supplies as everybody has nothing?'

The World Health Organization has specifically recommended that governments should undertake targeted measures for people with disability and their support networks during this pandemic, including financial compensation for families and caregivers supporting loved ones. I find it deeply distressing that the government is yet again refusing to listen to the community or the experts and not providing adequate support to disabled people and carers. I am sick of the government leaving out entire groups of Australians—leaving them behind. This is a time when we should be sharing and caring for each and every Australian needing additional support as they struggle to make ends meet during a crisis.

We should also be supportive and caring for the people who have got stuck here and can't get home. We are a caring and compassionate nation—supposedly! So why are we leaving people behind? I strongly believe that the way to remedy this injustice is to provide the coronavirus supplement to disabled people and carers, and those others who I have spoken about, such as those on visas. Extending the supplement to these payment recipients recognises that these people will need support. They need more support; people with disability and carers need more support as we move into the recovery period. Disabled people will need to self-isolate and socially distance for longer periods as restrictions are eased, bearing additional costs.

Finally, I'd like to add a big shout out to the disabled Australians and carers who have been campaigning for a better outcome. They've been campaigning for justice—for additional payments to meet their needs. To those disabled Australians and carers: you have demonstrated resilience, strength and compassion. Thank you for your efforts to continue to fight for justice. We will continue to support your call to get access to the supplement, to meet your needs and to ensure that you are not left behind.