Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Coronavirus and Other Measures) Bill 2020

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" - parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. Had the amendment been successful, it would have added the words below to the original motion.

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add: ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) this Bill and the 2020-21 Budget fails people on JobSeeker Payment;

(ii) the 2.3 million Australians receiving the coronavirus supplement are still in the dark about the future of the supplement beyond December 2020; and

(iii) the coronavirus crisis isn't over and unemployed and underemployed Australians will continue to need support during 2021; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) announce its plans regarding the future of the coronavirus supplement beyond December 2020 immediately for at least the current level of $250 a fortnight and to ensure it doesn't fall any further below the poverty line; and

(ii) announce a permanent and ongoing increase to JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance so that the base rate of these payments is above the poverty line".