“I have watched the budget delivered tonight. It is with great disappointment and sadness I must comment upon a budget delivered by a Labor Government.
On election night, you vowed that “no one will left behind”.
Tonight an increase of $40 per fortnight was announced for recipients of Jobseeker, Youth Allowance and Austudy. This increase is woefully inadequate.
Let’s be very clear, the current MAXIMUM Jobseeker rate is $693 per fortnight. The increase of $40 takes it to $733 per fortnight.
This increase is less than that given by the previous Morrison Government of $50 per fortnight.
The Treasurer justified the amount citing increased Rental Assistance. It is $31 per fortnight. Rental Assistance bears no relationship to actual rent paid.
These payments are under the poverty line. We are consigning Australians to an existence in poverty. Not a life, they can barely afford the basics.
The tax cuts must be abandoned. They reward the wealthiest in our community. They add to money supply and are inflationary, raising income support is less so, as the money is expended on basics, utilities and food.
Higher income earners receiving a tax cut, are likely to spend on consumables. That is inflationary. They are likely to invest in property, creating asset inflation and further drive homelessness and housing stress. Existing tax concessions will be further used such as negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax concessions.
Your own Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee made a number of recommendations which you have effectively ignored.
Real Australians, real people, not hypothetical names or numbers on a spreadsheet are hurting.
The budget is unfair. The budget is inhumane. The budget is inequitable. The budget is hurting the most vulnerable.” – Peter Sutton, longtime Raise The Rate activist.
Anti-Poverty Network SA 