Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, seconded Independent Member for North Sydney, Kylea Tink’s, motion calling on the Federal Government to significantly increase income support payments above indexation.
“Calling regular CPI adjustments cost-of-living support is a transparent effort by the Government to deflect from a lack of meaningful action to increase payments above the poverty level,” Mr Wilkie said. “Indeed, a recent report by ACOSS and UNSW found that 60 per cent of people on JobSeeker, 72 per cent of people on the Parenting Payment, 43 per cent of people on the Disability Support Pension, 34 per cent of people on Youth Allowance and 17 per cent on the Age Pension all live in poverty. This is not good enough if we are to support the many people who are struggling to put food on the table and pay their energy bills.
“Labor should spend less time crowing about routine indexation and more time listening to the millions of Australians on income support who can’t afford a place to live, to look for work, raise a family, see a GP, or event eat three meals a day.”