Bill
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021
passed, as at 2021-03-22. Social Services portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Social Services
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2021-02-25
- second reading — 2021-02-25
- second reading — 2021-03-16
- second reading — 2021-03-17
- second reading — 2021-03-17
- committee — 2021-03-17
- third reading — 2021-03-17
- introduced — 2021-03-17
- second reading — 2021-03-17
- second reading — 2021-03-18
- third reading — 2021-03-18
- passed — 2021-03-18
- royal assent — 2021-03-22
Divisions
- The majority voted against a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2021-03-16.121.2) introduced by Tasmanian Senator [Anne Urquhart](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/tasmania/anne_urquhart) (Labor), which means it failed. ### Motion text > *That—* > > *(a) a message from the House of Representatives relating to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 be reported immediately after it has been received but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking;* > > *(b) after the message is reported, consideration of the bill have precedence over all other government business until determined;* > > *(c) if by 1.30 pm on Thursday, 18 March 2021, consideration of the bill has not been completed, the questions on all remaining stages be put without debate; and* > > *(d) paragraph (c) operate as a limitation of debate under standing order 142.* — 2021-03-16, Senate: negative, ayes 29, noes 35
- The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with the [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2021-03-17.23.1) introduced by Melbourne MP [Adam Bandt](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/melbourne/adam_bandt) (Greens Leader), which means it failed. ### Amended motion text > *That the following words be added after "education services":* > > *"; and* > > *(d) increase the Jobseeker Payment to above the poverty line."* ### Original motion text > *That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:* > > *"whilst not declining to give the bill a [second reading](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/), the House:* > > *(1) notes that:* > >> *(a) the effect of this bill will be to cut unemployment payments by $100 per fortnight at the end of March, at the same time as JobKeeper is ending; and* >> >> *(b) over 1.3 million people are on unemployment payments—almost double the number before the pandemic; and* > > *(2) calls on the Government to:* > >> *(a) abandon its counterproductive and punitive plans for a dob-in-a-jobseeker hotline that will only make life harder for job seekers and employers by further increasing mutual obligation requirements at a time when unemployment and underemployment is high;* >> >> *(b) consider allowing people to keep more of their earnings from part-time, casual or seasonal work, to help people move into employment; and* >> >> *(c) do more to support Australians facing poverty and hardship—through adequate payments to those who need them, housing, addressing child poverty, and better health and education services"* — 2021-03-17, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 64, noes 5
- The majority voted in favour of a motion to keep the usual [second reading motion](https://www.peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/) - "*That this bill be now read a second time*" - unchanged. To read a bill a second time is to agree with its main idea. This vote took place after Barton MP [Linda Burney](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/barton/linda_burney) introduced an amendment. Because this vote passed, the amendment failed. ### Amendment text > *That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:* > > *"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:* > > *(1) notes that:* > >> *(a) the effect of this bill will be to cut unemployment payments by $100 per fortnight at the end of March, at the same time as JobKeeper is ending; and* >> >> *(b) over 1.3 million people are on unemployment payments—almost double the number before the pandemic; and* > > *(2) calls on the Government to:* > >> *(a) abandon its counterproductive and punitive plans for a dob-in-a-jobseeker hotline that will only make life harder for job seekers and employers by further increasing mutual obligation requirements at a time when unemployment and underemployment is high;* >> >> *(b) consider allowing people to keep more of their earnings from part-time, casual or seasonal work, to help people move into employment; and* >> >> *(c) do more to support Australians facing poverty and hardship—through adequate payments to those who need them, housing, addressing child poverty, and better health and education services"* — 2021-03-17, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 64, noes 59
- The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2021-03-17.33.1) introduced by Barton MP [Linda Burney](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/barton/linda_burney) (Labor), which means it failed. Ms Burney [explained that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2021-03-17.33.2): > *Labor believes in mutual obligation. The government's proposed changes to mutual obligation will only make those requirements more punitive. They have always been punitive under this government. Mutual obligation should be about keeping workers engaged with the workforce. It should be about assisting workers to get back into jobs. But mutual obligation has been weaponised by this government to punish workers looking for work.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 1, page 22 (after line 18), at the end of the Schedule, add:* > > *Part 6—Mutual obligation* > > *Social Security (Administration) Act 1999* > > *40 At the end of Subdivision A of Division 3AA of Part 3* > > *Add:* > >> *42ABA General principles* >> >> *(1) The Secretary must exercise his or her mutual obligation powers consistently with the following principles:* >> >>> *(a) the purpose of the powers is to help persons to get:* >>> >>>> *(i) jobs; or* >>>> >>>> *(ii) the skills necessary to get jobs;* >>> >>> *(b) the powers are intended to be used as part of a mutual arrangement in which the Commonwealth undertakes a reciprocal obligation to help the persons to find work;* >>> >>> *(c) in exercising the powers in relation to a person, the Secretary must take into account:* >>> >>>> *(i) the availability of suitable jobs; and* >>>> >>>> *(ii) the person's skills and abilities; and* >>>> >>>> *(iii) the person's personal circumstances including caring responsibilities, access to transport, medical conditions and disability;* >>> >>> *(d) the exercise of the powers must not cause unnecessary annoyance or burden for employers.* >> >> *(2) The Secretary' — 2021-03-17, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 62, noes 57
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2021-03-18.77.1) to the usual [second reading motion]( https://www.peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/), which is *”that the bill be read a second time”*. Reading a bill for a second time in parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. ### Amendment text > *At the end of the motion, add: ", but the Senate calls on the Government to:* > > *(a) increase the Jobseeker Payment to above the poverty line;* — 2021-03-18, Senate: negative, ayes 12, noes 38
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2021-03-18.77.1) to the usual [second reading motion]( https://www.peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/), which is *”that the bill be read a second time”*. Reading a bill for a second time in parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. ### Amendment text > *At the end of the motion, add: ", but the Senate calls on the Government to:* > > *(a) […]* > > *(b) abolish mutual obligations which are hurting unemployed Australians and making it harder to find work; and* > > *(c) abolish all forms of compulsory income management from our social security system, including the Cashless Debit Card and the Basics Card".* — 2021-03-18, Senate: negative, ayes 9, noes 41
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2021-03-18.77.1) to the usual [second reading motion]( https://www.peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/), which is *”that the bill be read a second time”*. Reading a bill for a second time in parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. ### Amendment text > *At the end of the motion, add: ", but the Senate calls on the Government to increase the Jobseeker Payment to above the poverty line".* — 2021-03-18, Senate: negative, ayes 12, noes 39
- Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 - Second Reading - Unemployment pay — 2021-03-18, Senate: negative, ayes 31, noes 34
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2021-03-18.90.7) to keep the bill unchanged. This motion was put after the Greens Party proposed to oppose [items 24, 25, 28, 29, 31 and 32](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2021-03-18.87.3) of Schedule 1 in respect to the indexation of income free areas. Because this vote was successful, those parts of the bill will remain as they are. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2021a/21bd055), the purpose of the bill is to: > * *increase the maximum basic rates of JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance, Youth Disability Support Pension, Parenting Payment and Austudy by $50 per fortnight from 1 April 2021* > * *increase the ordinary income free area for JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance (Other), Parenting Payment Partnered and Widow Allowance to $150 per fortnight from 1 April 2021 and cease indexation of the JobSeeker Payment income free area* > * *extend special COVID-19 qualification criteria for Youth Allowance (Other) and JobSeeker Payment until 30 June 2021—the criteria cover those in quarantine or self-isolation or caring for a family member or household member in quarantine or self-isolation due to COVID-19* > * *extend until 30 June 2021 the waiver of the ordinary waiting period for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other)—the waiver was introduced as part of the Government’s COVID-19 response, and* > * *give the Secretary of the Department of Social Services the discretionary power—until 30 June 2021—to extend the portability period for certain Age Pension and Disability Support Pension recipients unable to return to, or depart from, Australia within 26 weeks due to the impact of COVID-19—portability determines a person’s eligibility for a pension and payment rate when they live permanently outside Australia.* — 2021-03-18, Senate: affirmative, ayes 41, noes 9
- Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 - Second Reading - Greens amendments (raise youth allowance etc) — 2021-03-18, Senate: negative, ayes 9, noes 43
Plain-language summary
No machine-written summary in this export.
Sources
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