17th Mar 2021, 12:33 PM – Representatives Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 - Second Reading - Raise Jobseeker Payment

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with the motion introduced by Melbourne MP Adam Bandt (Greens Leader), which means it failed.

Amended motion text

That the following words be added after "education services":

"; and

(d) increase the Jobseeker Payment to above the poverty line."

Original motion text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the effect of this bill will be to cut unemployment payments by $100 per fortnight at the end of March, at the same time as JobKeeper is ending; and

(b) over 1.3 million people are on unemployment payments—almost double the number before the pandemic; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) abandon its counterproductive and punitive plans for a dob-in-a-jobseeker hotline that will only make life harder for job seekers and employers by further increasing mutual obligation requirements at a time when unemployment and underemployment is high;

(b) consider allowing people to keep more of their earnings from part-time, casual or seasonal work, to help people move into employment; and

(c) do more to support Australians facing poverty and hardship—through adequate payments to those who need them, housing, addressing child poverty, and better health and education services"