Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Extension of the Coronavirus Supplement
In November 2020, the Federal Government announced it would be reducing the Coronavirus Supplement to Jobseeker and other benefits by $100 per fortnight to $150 per fortnight, while extending the reduced Supplement until 31 March 2021. The Government introduced legislation to enable these changes to apply from 1 January 2021.
The legislation was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs for scrutiny, which called for submissions. FCVic made a submission to the Committee, calling for the Supplement to be restored to its original level on a permanent basis.
FCVic was invited to attend a Committee hearing on 25 November to provide evidence. Executive Officer, Dr Sandy Ross, and Centrelink Working Group Convenor, Liz Stary, attended the hearing on behalf of FCVic. At the hearing, Sandy and Liz spoke about the positive impacts experienced as a result of the coronavirus supplement which provided a much-needed lifeline for people to pay for their basic living essentials, bring themselves out of debt, and establish a pathway towards employment. Under the previous payment rate, applying to the old Newstart, people struggled to cover daily expenses on a meagre income that forced them into poverty and, in some cases, at risk of homelessness.