By Jessica Micallef
Hume councillor Jarrod Bell wants a “real and meaningful” increase put towards the current JobSeeker rate.
The Jacksons Creek ward councillor raised a motion during a council meeting last week, asking the council to write to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to increase the JobSeeker rate.
The JobSeeker payment was increased from $282 to $557 per week during the COVID-19 pandemic, before being gradually decreased.
Currently people on the JobSeeker payment are receiving a $150 coronavirus supplement but the payment is due to end at the end of the month.
Last month, the federal government announced a $25 per week increase to the JobSeeker payment taking the payment to $307 per week from April 1.
Cr Bell said the increase was “woefully inadequate” and “unacceptable”.
“Our welfare safety net is exactly that – a safety net,” he said.
“It’s not an opportunity for us to make struggling peoples struggle even harder.
“The increase equates to just over $3 a day. I challenge anyone who thinks they can live on $40 a day.”
Cr Naim Kurt said Meadow Heights, Broadmeadows, Roxburgh and Somerton were in the top five suburbs in Victoria that had residents on a “miniscule” JobSeeker payment.
“It is relevant for us as a council to speak up about this matter and let the federal government know that they need to do a little bit more in this space for our community.”
Deputy mayor Jack Medcraft said more attention needed to be focused on getting people jobs and supporting pensioners.
“Who pays for it [JobSeeker]? The taxpayer does and you can’t keep taking money from the taxpayer to pay for the lifestyles of people who don’t want to work,” he said.
“I agree it is very difficult to live on that sort of money [but] pensioners are the ones who should be looked after because they have paid taxes their whole lives.”
