Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services. The rate of JobSeeker is way below the poverty line and has been that way for a decade under the previous Liberal government. Your own Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee said that it was seriously inadequate. Why didn't you listen to that committee and commit to 'a substantial increase in the base rates of the JobSeeker payment and related working-age payments' as a first priority, rather than implementing the totally inadequate increase that is essentially just a continuation of Liberal Party policy?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rice for her question. Of course we, as a government, understand the difficulties that Australians are now facing in a whole host of areas, particularly as a result of the mismanagement of the former government in terms of how they handled the economy, how they handled the pandemic, and the issues that have arisen as a result of that mishandling.

When we came to government, we would have liked to have fixed every single economic problem that Australians are facing, but that simply wasn't possible in our first 15 months in government. But we do understand the problems. We are trying to work through them in a sensible fashion that ensures that we make sensible economic decisions based on all of the economic data that we have at any particular time but also trying to assist those Australians most in need.

I think it's fair to point out that the rates of JobSeeker and youth allowance and other working-age and student payments will rise by $40 a fortnight from 20 September, so it's not as if the government is not doing things in this space. We are doing things in this space but, as a responsible economic manager, we want to make sure— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, a first supplementary?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you say a substantial increase isn't possible. Why, though, are you choosing to give over $300 billion in stage 3 tax cuts to the richest people in our society, choosing to spend $368 billion on the AUKUS submarines, and choosing a $20 billion surplus rather than ensuring that people on income support can have more than one meal a day, aren't trapped into a whirlpool of declining health and can afford to live in a house rather than a tent or a car?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rice for her question. I reject the implication in the question that this is an uncaring government. We have made decisions in the budgets that we have presented since coming to government where we try and assist those Australians that are most in need and most vulnerable. I can repeat what I said before, and that is that the rate of JobSeeker will increase by $40 a fortnight on 20 September. As a government, we can't just do one thing. We can't just look at issues relating to JobSeeker. We have to look at the totality of the economic circumstances. That does mean— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, second supplementary?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, is an extra $4 a day going to fix things for Isabelle, who told our poverty inquiry:

… I have seen how this country treats poor people … and it regularly makes me think, 'Hey, maybe death might not be such a bad idea.'

Another witness said:

I've had seven years of pretending to my kids that I'm not hungry or I've already eaten.

What about people who are only showering once a week because they cannot afford their hot water bills? What do you say to them?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I thank Senator Rice for her supplementary question. I think it's important that you look at the totality of what's being offered and proposed with respect to JobSeeker. I mentioned the figure of $40 a fortnight from 20 September. This increase will be combined with an increase from indexation for those payments indexed on the same day. For example, this means that a single jobseeker with no dependents will actually receive an increase of $56 a fortnight. (Time expired)