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

I've no doubt that you'll continue to hold us to account in the time you have left here, Senator Siewert. In relation to your question around the elevated levels of support that were put in place back in March by this government, it was clear at the time that we recognised that we had before us an absolutely unprecedented situation, and we put in place these supports to help Australians to get from one side of the coronavirus pandemic to the other. Clearly as the pandemic has rolled out we have seen different things happen in different states, but the one thing we have started to see is that in the majority of Australia our economy is starting to open up again and we're starting to see jobs created. It is the responsibility of government, as I said before, to manage the balance between providing elevated levels of support in recognition of the fact that people are still doing it quite tough as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and, at the same time, making sure that people understand that they need to re-engage with the workforce, because getting a job is the best way out. (Time expired)