Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020

The majority voted against an amendment introduced by WA Senator Louise Pratt (Labor), which means it failed.

According to Senator Pratt, this amendment:

... implores the minister not to cut the coronavirus supplement this Christmas, to announce a permanent increase to the base rate of unemployment payments and to help pensioners and carers.

Amendment text

(1) Schedule 1, page 3 (before line 5), before item 1, insert:

1A After Part 1.3B of Chapter 1

Insert:

Part 1.3C—Additional economic support payments to address inequities arising out of coronavirus pandemic

38X Minister must consider what additional payments may be required

As soon as practicable after this section commences, the Minister must consider whether to do any or all of the following:

(a) extend the COVID-19 supplement until 28 March 2021 at the amount of $250 per fortnight, in line with extensions to jobkeeper payments;

(b) better support recipients of the age pension, disability support pension and carer payment who are facing increased costs to protect their health in the face of the coronavirus pandemic;

(c) announce a permanent increase to the base rate of jobseeker payments.

What does this bill do?

According to the bills digest, the bill was introduced in order to:

• provide for the extension of the Coronavirus Supplement for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice) recipients from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021;
• prevent any extension of the Coronavirus Supplement and the temporary COVID-19-related waivers from the ordinary waiting period, newly arrived resident’s waiting period and seasonal work preclusion period beyond 31 March 2021;
• provide for the extension of the temporary COVID-19-related qualification rules for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice);
• remove provisions relating to the COVID-19-related liquid assets test waiting period and assets test waivers (these waivers ended on 25 September 2020);
• allow for specific provisions of social security law to be temporarily modified by the Minister by legislative instrument in response to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 until 31 March 2021 (or 16 April 2021 for some of the provisions);
• introduce a discretionary power under the Social Security Act 1991 and the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 assets tests to extend the temporary absence provisions used in relation to determining a person’s principal home where an individual is unable to return to Australia, for reasons beyond their control, within the allowable absence period; and
• allow for JobKeeper Payment information provided by the Australian Tax Office to Services Australia on or before 28 March 2021 to be used after that date.