‘Unrealistic’ to return JobSeeker to pre-coronavirus levels

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers says it is “unrealistic” to return the JobSeeker payment to pre-COVID levels but refused to put a number on how high Labor would like the amount to be. The JobSeeker payment, formerly Newstart, was doubled amid the coronavirus pandemic to assist individuals forced onto welfare due to lockdown restrictions. That increase is due to expire at the end of September, with Josh Frydenberg insisting the payment would not continue a day longer. However, Dr Chalmers told Sky News there was “no doubt” the government would consider a permanent increase. “We’ve made it really clear … we would like to see it increased. No doubt the government is considering that at the moment,” he said. “I think it would be unrealistic to expect people could go back to a payment that is half of what it is now.” But the Shadow Treasurer refused to put a figure on how high Labor would like that increase to be, insisting the government needed to make the first move. "We haven’t nominated a number - we think that is a task for the government to do based on the advice of Treasury and all of the various information they have access to,” he said.

from National | Daily Telegraph https://ift.tt/2SCb1JX