Newstart Allowance

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the buying power of Newstart has barely changed since 1994-95, while the buying power of the median household disposable income has increased 55% during the same period,

(ii) since 2006, successive governments have made cuts to income support for sole parents moving them onto Newstart when their youngest child turns 8,

(iii) the ACOSS and UNSW Poverty in Australia 2018 report revealed that the poverty rate for people on Newstart has risen by 17% in the last 16 years, and

(iv) the cumulative effect of the policy changes since 2006 has left sole parents still on Parenting Payment Single, with two younger children, nearly $85 a fortnight worse off; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to increase Newstart and to reverse the policy changes that have left sole parents worse off.