E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Cost of living; Indexation; Jobseeker; Pensions; Commonwealth Rent Assistance; Online gambling reform.
MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: Okay, let's go back to the boost to Jobseeker and rent assistance starting today. Amanda Rishworth is the Minister for Social Services. She joins us now from Adelaide. Minister, very good morning to you.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Good morning.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: So, who's getting more help from today?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: From today, payments such as the age pension, Jobseeker and disability pensioners will get an increase to their payments. But in addition, we'll see a 12 per cent increase in the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance. And this brings a cumulative increase to rent assistance since we've been in Government to 45 per cent. So, this is important cost of living relief and I’m really pleased that we're able to deliver that.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Why has the Government moved to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance, as you say, above the rate of indexation?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: We think people, of course, are doing it tough. We know that rents have gone up for many people and we want to make sure that they're getting the assistance they need and extra assistance, and that's why we have been focused on Commonwealth Rent Assistance. But of course, it is important to recognise that this is part of a wide range of cost of living measures, including energy bill relief and medicines. And so looking at where we can help people with cost of living relief is really important and that's what we are doing.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: We had Cassandra Goldie from ACOSS on the show a short time ago, Minister. She says all extra money is welcome for anybody receiving government payments, but points out that rent assistance increases for a single person only $1.64 a day. Really? Is that enough?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, obviously it's a 12 per cent increase in the support of Commonwealth Rent Assistance on those maximum rates. But since we've come to Government, people have had $2000 on average extra in rent assistance for those receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance. And what we also saw that this is this has actually helped to drive down rents across the board, and that's important in our fight against inflation as well. So, this is an important measure. It's not the only measure. We're not pretending this is the only measure to help with cost of living, but I am also concerned that the Liberal Party has called this wasteful spending, unrestrained spending. This is really important cost of living relief, and we are committed to delivering it.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay. Jobseekers going up to roughly one dollar to $56 dollars a day, that is still well below the Henderson property line. Does the Government accept it can, and perhaps should, do more to help people receiving Jobseeker payments?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Of course, in terms of those on the lowest incomes, we are very focused on supporting those people. Many people on Jobseeker will also get Commonwealth Rent Assistance, will also benefit from our freeze to medicines, will benefit two years in a row from our $300 discount on energy bills. So, these are a suite of measures. We'll always look at where we can better support people. Of course, part of that is making sure that we do, every Budget, look at what we can budget for. At the same time it is making sure we're not adding to the inflation challenge. And that's the balance that we're doing. We're always looking at where we can support people. But across the board, we see a real significant number of cost of living measures that will help those on low incomes.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay, just on another issue, Minister, you are the Minister who received that report from the parliamentary committee looking into gambling, chaired by your late colleague Peta Murphy. Your department would see, more than most, the impact on Australian families of problem gambling. Why won't the Government accept in-full those recommendations, including a total ban on gambling advertising to help bring down the rates of problem gambling?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Of course, I have been, and Minister Rowland has been very focused on the issue of problem gambling. And that's why you've seen us bring in a credit card ban. You shouldn't be gambling with money that you don't have. That was recommended back in 2017, actually. It took our Government to legislate that. We've introduced BetStop. We've introduced monthly activity statements. So, we are looking at the evidence of what actually makes a difference. Now when it comes to the late Peta Murphy's report, we're, of course, working through those recommendations. A total of 21 of those recommendations have really significant interactions or require co-governance with states and territories. And I am working with my state and territory colleagues about how we progress many of these recommendations. So this is a joint effort, but to suggest that we haven't been doing anything is just not right.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: You've been doing a lot of things, but a lot of health experts would argue that banning gambling advertising would go even further to tackling the scourge of problem gambling in Australia and help so many Australian families.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Yeah, and we're looking at that recommendation very closely. We're working through, along with the other recommendations. And I have to say, as I said, many of these interact with states and territories, and I've been really heartened by the cooperation that my state and territory colleagues have indicated that they want to work together to actually achieve reform.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: When are we likely to get a decision on this?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, we're working through all the issues. I continue to talk with my state and territory colleagues and we'll keep working on this. Like I said, we have been already, for example, introducing that credit card ban. That legislation went through the Parliament. The pre-verification, which means you have to actually prove who you say you are before you can get on an online wagering website. That's really important to ensure that children are not gaining access to these sites. It's called pre-verification. We've introduced legislation to make sure that that happens as well. So, there is a lot of reform taking place and we'll keep working towards that.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Amanda Rishworth, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.