Caton says when Scott Morrison doubled welfare benefits last year, he admitted that the payments were "not enough for people live on". Caton notes the high levels of unemployment in NT, and cost of living is higher in remote areas.
Caton says the coronavirus supplement gave people in remote communities "breathing space".
Apont says the boost helped with things like cultural activities (hunting for example), as well as getting children involved in sport.
Just fixing previous tweet with typo: Leanne Caton, of Apont, said earlier the jobseeker boost was "wildly inadequate" and a "slap in the face" to welfare recipients, including Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
Georgie Sutton of Central Land Council and Apont says they don't believe anyone deserves to live in poverty. Altman notes also that for many indigenous people receiving social security, their payments are "income managed" (ie CDC or basics card)
Department of Social Services is up. What was used to determine the $50pf boost, asks Rachel Siewert? A "range" of information, says DSS official Matt Flavel. That includes past rates of payments, the state of the labour market, and other issues
Flavel is arguing that the labour market has picked up and the economy is improving. Siewert is not convinced. She says there are nine people for one job, and asks if this is satisfactory. Flavel is not interested in weighing in on that
Flavel confirms the $150 income free threshold for jobseeker payments will not be indexed. He says having the $150 figure remain steady makes it more "easy to understand". Narrator: Yes, it also reduces their income over time...
Good question from Malarndirri McCarthy, who asks how many people will be thrown off jobseeker when the income test reverts back. DSS takes it on notice.
And that is the end. Could have at least gone a full day, pretty poor really.
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