Division
Doug Cameron I rise to speak on the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Seasonal Worker Incentives for Jobseekers) Bill 2017. The trial that is covered by this bill will give jobseekers an opportunity to gain short-term seasonal work without the risk of losing their Newstart payment or other social security benefits. It is a trial that Labor will support but, for the reasons which I shall outline, Labor will be casting a very critical eye over both the implementation and the outcomes of this trial. Trial participants will be able to earn up to $5,000 in eligible seasonal employment, such as fruit or nut picking, in regional or remote Australia, without it impacting their Centrelink payment. Currently, single Newstart recipients without children can earn up to $104 per fortnight and young jobseekers receiving youth allowance can earn $143 per fortnight before their payment is reduced. Newstart recipients can earn $1,036 a fortnight before their payment reduces to zero. Youth allowance recipients can earn $648.50 a fortnight before their payment reduces to zero. The trial would allow Newstart and youth allowance recipients to participate in specified seasonal horticultural work, such as fruit picking, and earn up to $5,000 dollars in a 12-month period before their payments begin to be reduced. The existing income test will begin to apply to trial participants once they have exceeded the $5,000 limit. The trial will be capped at 7,600 participants. It is due to commence on 1 July and last for a period of two years. The bill also includes a seasonal work living away and travel allowance, which is an additional incentive for jobseekers to travel in order to participate in the trial. The allowance will be administered by the employment service provider and is valued at $300. Labor has always believed in the importance of supporting jobseekers to find work, so we will support this trial. We also believe that appropriate safeguards must be in place. Employers and employm
Senate, 2017-06-14. negative: ayes 12, noes 43.
Question
Doug Cameron I rise to speak on the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Seasonal Worker Incentives for Jobseekers) Bill 2017. The trial that is covered by this bill will give jobseekers an opportunity to gain short-term seasonal work without the risk of losing their Newstart payment or other social security benefits. It is a trial that Labor will support but, for the reasons which I shall outline, Labor will be casting a very critical eye over both the implementation and the outcomes of this trial. Trial participants will be able to earn up to $5,000 in eligible seasonal employment, such as fruit or nut picking, in regional or remote Australia, without it impacting their Centrelink payment. Currently, single Newstart recipients without children can earn up to $104 per fortnight and young jobseekers receiving youth allowance can earn $143 per fortnight before their payment is reduced. Newstart recipients can earn $1,036 a fortnight before their payment reduces to zero. Youth allowance recipients can earn $648.50 a fortnight before their payment reduces to zero. The trial would allow Newstart and youth allowance recipients to participate in specified seasonal horticultural work, such as fruit picking, and earn up to $5,000 dollars in a 12-month period before their payments begin to be reduced. The existing income test will begin to apply to trial participants once they have exceeded the $5,000 limit. The trial will be capped at 7,600 participants. It is due to commence on 1 July and last for a period of two years. The bill also includes a seasonal work living away and travel allowance, which is an additional incentive for jobseekers to travel in order to participate in the trial. The allowance will be administered by the employment service provider and is valued at $300. Labor has always believed in the importance of supporting jobseekers to find work, so we will support this trial. We also believe that appropriate safeguards must be in place. Employers and employm
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