2018-02-20
A Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) report that shows a sharp slowdown in expenditure for the Disability Support Pension (DSP) should not be seen as a positive thing by the Turnbull Government, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert today.
“The Liberal-National Government have been making it more difficult for people accessing the Disability Support Pension, in 2015 the-then Abbott Government announced reviews for DSP recipients under 35 and then started on those over 35.
“On top of this, the changed eligibility criteria and forcing people to prove they can’t find work for 18 months brought in from 2012 under the then-Labor Government also reduced the number of people able to access the support.
“Thankfully the Senate did not support the Government from stopping some people with severe alcohol and drug dependence from getting support by disallowing the instrument last year, but people with disability trying to receive support are still under attack.
“We have heard from of the impact of this crackdown by Government on people with disability unable to work. Rather than focusing on driving down DSP rates, we should be focusing on revenue raising measures so that those with disability don’t have to desperately defend their right to receive support”.