(less than $50 per day). For a single Youth Allowance recipient aged 22 or over and living out of home, that drops to just $335.95.
, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing calls for a “substantial” increase to JobSeeker and Youth Allowance payments in next month’s budget. An open letter delivered to the prime minister had reached 350 signatures by Wednesday, from a cross section of community groups and unions.
Notably, crossbench senators Lidia Thorpe, Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock — key votes whenever Labor attempts to pass legislation in the upper house — and four of Mr Albanese’s own MPs have also joined the call.
But Labor is so far refusing to commit to an increase, saying it’s concerned that increasing spending would add to inflation already driving a cost of living crisis.
What is living on JobSeeker like?
Once rent, electricity and phone bills (needed to apply for jobs) are paid for, Ms Fisher says “there’s just nothing left”.
A report by the Australian Council of Social Service on the cost of living, released in January, found that 96 per cent were spending at least 30 per cent of their income on housing.
What’s being suggested?
The ACOSS report called for a $25 daily increase to JobSeeker, which would raise the payment to $73.
The transformation on the lives of JobKeeper recipients would be simple, Ms Fisher says.
“It means I’d actually be able to afford proper food. I would actually be able to afford vegetables,” she says.
This reflects Ms Fisher’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Coalition temporarily raised payments.
“During the COVID supplement, I was the closest I’ve ever been to being work-ready. I was eating properly, my health had actually improved. I could actually see a future for myself,” she says.
“Then we just pulled straight back into poverty. My health again declined. I’m in no way able to get a job while I’m getting these infections and getting sick because I’m not eating properly.
What’s the government saying?
Despite both speaking out in support of a raise while in opposition, the treasurer and prime minister are avoiding commitments on the rate.
In 2020, and supported by a number of his frontbench colleagues, Mr Albanese insisted $40 a day “isn’t enough to live on”.
He’s now under pressure from his backbench to follow through, with four Labor MPs — Alicia Payne, Kate Thwaites, Louise Miller-Frost, and Michelle Ananda-Rajah — signing onto the public letter.
Mr Albanese, whose mother was on the disability pension, said on Wednesday that he empathised with the families facing strain but stopped short of promising a raise.
“I understand that people are under real pressure. I certainly understand that … It is unsurprising that people in the Labor Party want to do more,” he said.
“What we will be doing in the budget is balancing up the need to provide cost of living relief for people, with making sure that we show restraint so we don’t add to inflationary pressure.”
Mr Chalmers did not answer directly when asked whether he could survive on $49 a day, saying he wanted to move people off JobSeeker.