I will be tweeting Department of Social Services #estimates today. And filing to @GuardianAus blog #auspol
Just going through some DSS advertising contracts at the moment. Katy Gallagher wanted to ask about jobseeker but that'll be in the next session
DSS secretary Kathryn Campbell: "We have provided advice to the government on the rate of jobseeker."
Rachel Siewert wants the advice on why the coronavirus supplement was set at $550. As usual for estimates, Anne Ruston says it's cabinet in confidence. Siewert also asks DSS advised on the exact figure. Ruston won't say.
On reducing the coronavirus supplement, Anne Ruston says there was a "level of disincentive and distortion in the marketplace because of people not re-engaging in the workplace". Siewert wants actual evidence, not anecdotal.
Ruston concedes there's not an individual statistic, but she's heard thousands of examples of businesses and employer groups complaining about not being able to hire people
Will there be a permanent increase to jobseeker announced before the end of the year? Ruston says they are still looking at temporary supports (ie extending the coronavirus supplement).
Very clear indication from Ruston any announcement before the end of the year on jobseeker payment will be about the coronavirus supplement, rather than the permanent rate.
Labor's Katy Gallagher says people deserve certainty about the permanent rate. She says people on jobseeker were treated differently to everyone else in the budget. "I think it's mean." Ruston rejects this.
Siewert is asking Kathryn Campbell whether DSS has provided advice about the permanent rate of jobseeker. Campbell won't respond directly.
I took a look at what the uncertainty means for people last week theguardian.com/australia-news…
Now we are into the usual $40 a day argument. Ruston is outlining all the supplementary payment (FTB, rent assistance) etc that people might get. Siewert notes most only get energy supplement.
Sorry for the radio silence. We're back after a break. Some figures on the changes to jobseeker recipients during the pandemic. Among people under 34 in March: 232,000 (29% of all recipients), September it's 496,000 (36%)
Helen Polley wants to know how long on average a woman coming onto the age pension would have been social security. A very good question given the PBO's recent report. DSS takes it on notice.
Ruston says the drug-testing trial (still government policy) is not the current focus of the government. Focus is the pandemic.
DSS says 27,000 people were removed from jobseeker payments after the reapplication of the assets test last month.
Coming back to this now after a meeting I had to get to. Interesting question from Siewert about program of support and mutual obligations (which have been suspended). Is that counted as part of people's 18 months to apply for DSP
DSS essentially says people can volunteer to keep up with job search.
Ruston commits to take up the issue, including the possibility of whether any policies changes need to be made.
"How do you know it's been effective?" Siewert asks about program of support. DSS: "The aim of the program is develop skills ..." "How do you know if that's happening, if you're not measuring it."
Among DSP applicants who were rejected for not doing the 18 month program of support in 2016-17, 18.5% are not on payment, 45% are now on DSP. Some are on age pension and others on jobseeker. "I would put it to you that's not a good outcome," says Siewert.
I missed this earlier but some news:
- DSS now forecasts 1.8 million on jobseeker payments in December.
- It forecasts 1.3 million will be on it in 2021-22, and still one million in 2022-23.
- For context, there were about 700,000 on it before the pandemic.
- DSS now forecasts 1.8 million on jobseeker payments in December.
- It forecasts 1.3 million will be on it in 2021-22, and still one million in 2022-23.
- For context, there were about 700,000 on it before the pandemic.
DSS's Shane Bennett says the department takes a "broader consideration" when considering poverty, rather than just income (such as 50% of median income).
"Many of the examples are very theoretical or relative," says DSS Kathryn Campbell of various poverty measures. She says they aren't so relevant in an Australian context. "We haven't provided advice about a definition of what poverty is."
Gallagher: How do you determine people who are poor get an adequate income?
Campbell: We don't have a measure [that takes in all the supports that the government provides].
Ruston: The government doesn't have a measure of poverty ... a practice of successive governments
Campbell: We don't have a measure [that takes in all the supports that the government provides].
Ruston: The government doesn't have a measure of poverty ... a practice of successive governments
This is quite an enlightening exchange. Ruston: "A narrow definition of 'poverty' (Ruston gestures air quotes) is not something the government has ever sought."
Gallagher: Do you think people on payments now live in poverty?
Ruston: Income support is a safety net
Gallagher: Do you think people on payments now live in poverty?
Ruston: Income support is a safety net
Anne Ruston says drug testing trial legislation "not being progressed at the moment" due to the pandemic.
Ruston says if the policy is to be progressed in future there will be a "conversation with the Australian public"
Coming back to this thread, though my updates are on a long lag. DSS has been telling Malarndirri McCarthy on the cashless debit card that the decision to make it permanent followed feedback from "community leaders"
Getting pretty testy between Rachel Siewert and the DSS officials. DSS won't say who the actual leaders on the reference groups, which Siewert says is a longstanding problem.
Siewert asking about the University of Adelaide's evaluation. It still hasn't been released, even though the government has introduced legislation to make the card permanent in trial sites.
DSS has received a final draft but there are supplementary reports with the data that haven't been received.
Malarndirri McCarthy says that the Coalition of Peaks is against the CDC. McCarthy says it's contrary to the Closing the Gap agreement
McCarthy asks what is the value of these agreements if their voices is ignored
The cost of administering the cashless debit card in the past financial year (19-20) was $29 million.
My quick maths suggests with 12,700 CDC participants at July 2020, that's $2,280 per participant. It would be a bit less because there would be more than 12,700 participants across the whole 12 months
Siewert asks Ruston is she'll guarantee the CDC evaluation report will be released before the bill is debated. Ruston says the report was not about determining whether the program would continue, it was about figuring out what worked well and what didn't. Siewert is furious.
"You are joking," Siewert says. "This is absolutely flabbergasting. This is a recasting of history."
Siewert: Have you had meeting where you invited people on the card to give their views?
Ruston says she's personally been to meetings with cardholders. She says the meetings were public and advertised
Ruston says she's personally been to meetings with cardholders. She says the meetings were public and advertised
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