LINDA BURNEY MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
 
BILL SHORTEN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME
SHADOW MINISTER FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES
 
SENATOR MURRAY WATT
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
 

NO ONE SHOULD BE WORSE OFF BECAUSE OF COVID PAYMENT RED TAPE

 
Labor is calling on the Morrison Government to ensure workers receiving social security part payments aren’t left worse off under the COVID-19 disaster payment. 
 
Many Australians are still confused about what support is available.
 
In particular, Australians who were working part time or casually, while receiving social security part payments, prior to the lockdowns. 
 
 For a single worker on JobSeeker, with no children and who pays rent, the full payment comes to $385.20 per week – compared to the upper Covid Disaster Payment of $600.00. 
 
If this is the case, workers on JobSeeker could be $214.80 worse off – or almost $300 worse off if they don’t receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance.  
 
It shouldn’t be this hard. Or this confusing.
 
Part-time and casual workers who were receiving parenting payments, student payments or Youth Allowance are in the same situation.
 
Australian workers should not be left worse off because of a confusing and broken bureaucracy. 
 
If a worker is entitled to a higher payment, they should receive it, automatically. People should not have to jump through hoops to get the assistance they have been promised.
 
Workers should also be given an iron-clad guarantee that they will not have to serve a social security waiting period after receiving the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.
  
Scott Morrison has botched the vaccine rollout; botched quarantine; prematurely cut JobKeeper; and botched support for workers and businesses – and now more than 13 million Australians are bearing the brunt of his failures. 
 
FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021