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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the Budget Priorities Statement 2018-19 of the Australian Council of Social Service launched this week in Canberra;

(b) recognises that research, from 2017, shows that single rates of unemployment payments are completely inadequate to cover basic living costs;

(c) acknowledges that our social safety net currently fails to protect those seeking work from falling into poverty;

(d) notes that the Australian Council of Social Service calls for an increase of $75 a week to allowance payments for single people from 1 January 2019; and

(e) urges the Federal Government to increase the single rate of Newstart and related allowances by $75 a week.

Notice of motion altered on 14 February 2018 pursuant to standing order 77.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over 99 per cent of recipients on Newstart also receive one or more other government payments. Australia targets a bigger share of its cash transfers to households in the bottom 20 per cent than any other OECD country. The coalition government knows the best form of welfare is a job and will look to policies that improve employment opportunities for those on Newstart.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 726 be agreed to.