Minster Fifield, in Question Time today has refused to answer whether or not he could live on the $38 a day Newstart payment.

“As per usual, the Government trots out their lines “Newstart is a payment designed for people transitioning into work.”

“This is an utter fallacy, the jobs are simply not there. In May 2018, there were eight unemployed or under-employed people for every job vacancy.

“46% of Newstart recipients are on the payment for over two years.

Peter Dutton’s attempts to deport Murri man Daniel Love to PNG is yet another disgraceful move by this Government.

Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, Senator Rachel Siewert said:

“First Nations peoples are the traditional owners of this land, how deeply insulting, how disrespectful that Mr Dutton thinks that he should deport Mr Love.

“Mr Love has lived in Australia since he was 5 years old, he is a First Nations person. If anyone has the right to be here, it’s him.

“I’m astounded that the Government thought that Newstart rising through indexation by $2.20 – or about 30c a day – to $275.10 a week will make a difference to people trying to survive on Newstart, Senator Rachel Siewert said.

“It’s not news that the Government is out of touch with the community and their cost of living struggles. But saying that a $2 increase to Newstart is going to “help people keep up with cost of living” is a new low, you would think it was a joke if this issue wasn’t so serious.  

Statistics showing poverty traps people in family violence is yet another example of how our government, through the income support system is failing our community.

Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said:

“It is unacceptable that women trying to escape violence are having to wait for Centrelink to process their claim.

"Women report having to wait months for their claim to be processed and the changes to the hardship provisions have not made the process easier.

“I’m sure that anyone watching the Four Corners Report on aged care last night was deeply distressed by what they saw and heard.

“What was clear from the Four Corner report, is that not only is the abuse and neglect outlined deeply distressing for older Australians and their families but that staff are also in extreme distress at not being able to provide the care they want” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Ageing said today.

The Greens have a bill before Parliament right now that would increase Newstart and Youth Allowance by $75 a week.

“Newstart hasn’t been increased since 1994 – this is a significant policy failure by successive Governments that must be urgently fixed, Senator Rachel Siewert said.

“We don’t need a review, we don’t need an audit, we need action.

“We have the opportunity to get it done when my bill is debated in October- what are we waiting for?

“I thank First Nations Media for briefing MP’s during the August sitting period on the work they are doing and opportunities they are offering First Nations peoples across Australia, Senator Rachel Siewert said.

“I was disheartened to learn that work experience and volunteering at the First Nations Media broadcast network isn’t being counted towards the Commonwealth Development (CDP) obligations.

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John today used question time to ask the Prime Minister why his proposed Royal Commission into the aged care system failed to acknowledge the shared horror experienced by disabled and older Australians in institutional and residential care settings.

Another report, this time by Deloitte Access Economics has demonstrated the benefits of increasing the rate of Newstart by $75 a week.

“Here we have, yet another report presenting hard evidence that raising Newstart would not only help people living in poverty, it would also be good for our economy, Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“Prime Minister Morrison and his new front bench are very fond of telling us all about how good they are at economic management.