Greens leader Adam Bant has taken aim at the government's less than $3 a day JobSeeker increase in the budget, claiming it will “leave millions of people behind” while “politicians and billionaires get a $9,000 a year tax cut”.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers revealed a $2.85 jump in daily JobSeeker rates to bring payments up from $49.50 to just over $51 – totalling to a $40 increase per fortnight.
Mr Bandt took aim at the $2.85 raise on Wednesday morning, saying it was “not enough to buy a loaf of bread” while high-income earners would see assistance through stage three tax cuts. “The big gas corporations get away with paying next to nothing, politicians and billionaires get a $9,000 a year tax cut and too many people are stuck and left in poverty.”
“We could have done what some suggested, which is to hand cash out to provide that support – instead, we designed a mechanism to reduce people’s power bills that provides that support to families while at the same time it, therefore, is deflationary as a measure.” To address high rent, Labor also included a 15 per cent rent assistance payment in their budget but Mr Bandt claimed those “lucky to get rent assistance might get a dollar a day”.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Help for the most vulnerable': JobSeeker increase confirmed in tonight's federal budgetThe government has confirmed that tonight's federal budget will include an increase to the JobSeeker base rate, rent assistance, Austudy and Youth Allowance.
Read more »
Federal budget to include increases to Jobseeker, Austudy and Youth AllowanceThe federal budget will be handed down on Tuesday night.
Read more »
Budget lifts JobSeeker and welfare payments as Labor posts a surplusA modest increase in unemployment benefits and cheaper healthcare are the centrepieces of a federal budget tasked with helping the nation's most vulnerable at a time when living costs are hurting households.
Read more »
'Can’t even afford milk’: Why the budget’s JobSeeker boost is being criticisedJamie Lee, a JobSeeker recipient, says she is 'heartbroken' at the decision to raise the welfare payment by $2.85 a day — and she's not the only one who's disappointed.
Read more »
Greens unleash on Labor’s budget ‘betrayal’The Greens have dismissed Labor’s $14.6 billion of cost of living measures as “crumbs off the table” as it accuses the government of backing the top end of town.
Read more »
‘It’s not enough’: Greens Senator wants higher payments for single-parentsGreens Senator Janet Rice says the increase in the single-parenting payment announced by the Labor government is “welcome” but it’s still “not enough” for Australian families. “I do welcome it and it’s been welcomed by advocates who’ve fought so hard for this and I really congratulate them on their campaigning,” Ms Rice told Sky News Australia. “But it’s just not enough – it’s really only a beginning. “It actually doesn’t increase the rate of parenting payment, which is still below the poverty line … it’s extended to people whose kids are up to the age of 14 – still doesn’t increase the payment.”
Read more »