By Cam Lucadou-Wells
“Spending restraint” looks set to overrule calls for further cost-of-living relief in the upcoming Federal Budget.
Australian Council of Social Service is calling for JobSeeker payments to rise to at least $76 a day, as well as more social housing and a “fairer” tax system.
It also submitted for the scrapping of stage-3 tax cuts, which ACOSS says favours the top 20 per cent of income earners.
Bruce Labor MP Julian Hill said the Federal Government’s plan to bring down inflation was “working” and “we need to stick to it”.
The cost of living “crisis” was mainly caused by “inflation challenges”.
This was an issue affecting nations “all over the world” due to the Covid pandemic and worsened by “Russia’s illegal ware in Ukraine”, he said.
“Key to beating inflation is spending restraint in the Budget so that the Government isn’t adding to inflation in the economy.
“Scott Morrison and the Liberals spent like drunken sailors, leaving $1 trillion of debt and making the inflation problem worse.
“Labor has stopped this wasteful spending, returning 99 per cent of revenue upgrades to the Budget over the next two years compared to the Liberals’ average of just 40 per cent.”
Mr Hill said the Government opted for “responsible cost of living relief” including cheaper child care, cheaper medicines and direct energy bill relief.
“Action is being taken to repair Australia’s broken supply chains and skills crisis including fee-free TAFE and more university places, the National Reconstruction Fund and investing in cleaner and cheaper energy.”
There was evidence that inflation had peaked and would start to “moderate in 2023”.
“After plenty of work, and plenty of sacrifices from Australians … there’s still a long way to go, but the plan is working, and we need to stick to it.”
ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the Budget needs to make “the right choices about who needs more government support”.
“With more than three million people in poverty in Australia, this Budget must deliver cost of living relief for those who need it most and help shape a more inclusive society.
“The Labor Government came to power promising that no-one would be left behind.
“But right now people on income support are skipping meals, foregoing essential medicines and turning off their hot water just to keep a roof over their head.”
Currently, JobSeeker payments start at less than $50 a day for singles without children – not including rental assistance.
This is the second-lowest unemployment payment in wealthy nations and insufficient for an adequate standard of living, ACOSS stated.
It said revenue could be raised by canceling the $18 billion a year Stage 3 tax cuts, as well as the private health insurance rebate and fossil fuel subsidies.
