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

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Is the government still intending to drop people on the jobseeker payment back to the base rate of $40 a day at the end of September?

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

Thank you very much, Senator Siewert. As I have mentioned in this chamber on a number of occasions in the last few weeks, the coronavirus supplement that was made available to people who were on working-age payments at the start of the coronavirus pandemic was put in place for the period of the pandemic. We made it very clear at the time that all of the measures that we put in place, not just the coronavirus supplement, were time limited, they were timely and they were to be targeted to make sure that we were able to help as many Australians as we possibly could get from where they were at the time with the pandemic—and the implications of the pandemic on the economy and on their employment prospects—to the other side of the pandemic.

We are absolutely committed to making sure that we continue to support Australians so that they can manage their lives during this pandemic. But, over recent days, we are now starting to see the economy opening up again. We are seeing restrictions able to be lifted. We are seeing jobs being created again in the marketplace. In fact, today we were pleased to report that we are starting to see the earliest of green shoots, with increased job creation, above the levels of job creation we had actually anticipated.

Today we are working our way through making sure that we can put in place all of the things that we need to do so that the economy can open up and so that those people that you refer to that are currently receiving payments through income support are able to get back into the workforce so that they can make provisions and can improve their wellbeing. So, Senator Siewert, the coronavirus supplement was time limited, it was temporary and it was targeted.

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

Senator Siewert, a supplementary question?

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

I will take that as a 'yes'—you do intend to drop it back to $40 a day. Has the government done any modelling on the expected rate of mortgage defaults and the number of renters who will be in housing stress in October if the rate does go back to $40 a day? If not, why not? If so, what are the details, please?

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

As the senator rightly points out, this has been one of the most unprecedented situations that any government in the world has ever had to confront. In fact, I'm sure there has not been a government in the world that has had to confront this probably since the Second World War. Obviously, as we work our way forward to deal with all of the challenges that are before us, as we get our economy back on track and get it onto a stable footing, we'll be looking at many things, and we will continue to monitor as we become further aware of the impacts of this crisis. We will continue to work with all of the sectors around Australia. The Prime Minister continues to work with his state and territory counterparts through the continuation of the national cabinet to make sure that we are in the best possible position on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic to ensure that we can continue to support all Australians in their lives.

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

Senator Siewert, a final supplementary question?

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

I'll take that one as a 'no'. Minister, if the jobseeker payment goes back to $40 a day at the end of September, what essential bills, such as housing, power, water and food, do the government suggest people don't pay?

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

Thank you, Senator Siewert, for your follow-up question. Clearly you haven't been listening to what we have been saying in this place, what Senator Cormann said in response to many of the questions that he has been asked this week. The most important thing that we can do is get the economy back open again so that we can get people back into work. The other thing, Senator Siewert, that you failed to recognise in your original question when you referred to the $40 a day is the myriad of other supports and payments that are particularly targeted to people. For instance, anybody who has got children obviously is eligible to receive the full amount of the family tax benefit part A and part B. Those people that you refer to who are in rental accommodation are obviously eligible to be in receipt of Commonwealth rental assistance. And there are a myriad of other payments that are made available to make sure that our welfare system targets the specific needs of individuals who require the support of the federal government.