2016-08-29
The Turnbull Government should abandon cuts to income support and keep the clean energy supplement before Parliament resumes tomorrow, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“For years I have been calling for successive Governments to substantially increase the Newstart allowance, which is woefully low and results in people living below the poverty line.
“It is hugely disappointing that the campaign to increase Newstart has now had to become a campaign to stop further cuts.
“I welcome the open letter by thirty-four notable Australians calling on Mr Turnbull to change tack on Newstart whilst calling on Labor to oppose the measure.
“Accountancy firm KPMG has previously acknowledged that political rhetoric has prevented the payment from going up, despite it being increasingly inadequate. This also rings true for this proposed cut.
“The Greens will be opposing the cut in the Senate. Newstart cannot go down any further”.