Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Siewert, for your question. I also acknowledge that you have announced your retirement at the end of this session, come the end of this parliament. I acknowledge the great work that you've done on behalf of the people you represent.

In response to the principal part of your question, in relation to changes that are being made to both the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments, but particularly the JobSeeker payment, at the end of September, you, Senator Siewert, as well as everybody else, were in this chamber back in March when we made the decision to put in place the coronavirus supplement for a period of six months. It was very clear at the time that we were voting for a temporary payment. In July, a decision was made by the government. We believed that the time for the removal of that temporary supplement was not the end of September, so we have sought, through an instrument in this place, to extend until December the elevated level of support to those people who find themselves unemployed past the end of September. At the same time, we have also put in place an increased income-free area, because we recognise that the job market is still very shallow, but it is starting to open up. We want to encourage people who find themselves unemployed as a result of coronavirus to actually take the steps to start re-engaging with the workforce so that we can, hopefully, get them re-employed as quickly as possible. The one thing that we do know—