Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, moved amendments to the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Bill 2023.
“The amendments I introduced would insert poverty reduction into each of the listed matters for considerations by the Committee as they formulate a report,” Mr Wilkie said. “This seeks to ensure that no matter which of the one or more matters the committee chooses to include in their report, poverty reduction will need to be considered.
“The Government’s bill makes no mention of poverty at all, which is absurd when setting up a permanent advisory body on economic inclusion. Indeed this has been noted by organisation such as the Australian Council of Social Services and the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, as well as advocates with lived experience of poverty.
“These amendments would complement the Member for North Sydney, Kylea Tink’s amendments which require the development of and reporting on poverty reduction targets, as well as other important changes to transparency and lived experience representation on the Committee.
“Establishing a permanent Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee is an opportunity for the Government to get serious about addressing poverty and other forms of economic exclusion. But it needs to be done right and this means taking advice which is genuinely independent, informed by lived experiences and focused clearly on reducing poverty in Australia.”