Reports the JobSeeker unemployment payment will rise by $75 a week after September are "factually incorrect", Social Services Minister Anne Ruston says.
Key points:
- News Corp is reporting the JobSeeker payment will increase from $560 to $715 a fortnight
- The Social Services Minister says there is no submission before Cabinet for that increase
- The Government is poised to announce an increase to the payment during a mini-budget update next month
As part of its coronavirus assistance the Government temporarily increased the payment — formerly known as Newstart — to $1,100 a fortnight.
It is due to revert back to $565 at the end of September, when the JobKeeper payments also end.
But News Corp is reporting the payment will be permanently boosted to $715 a fortnight and that the $75 a week increase was the preferred option of some cabinet ministers.
Senator Ruston said the report was "factually incorrect".
Coronavirus update: Follow all the latest news in our daily wrap."There is no submission to the effect that has been reported in the paper that is currently before me or I'm aware of," she said.
"Given I'm the Social Services Minister you'd like to think I'd be aware of it.
"I know of no such proposal and you can read into that what you'd like."
Senator Ruston did not provide any more detail about what increase the Government was considering, saying it was still being reviewed.
The ABC understandsthe Government is set to announce an increase to the unemployment benefitwhen the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers a mini-budget in July.
The update will also include details on the future of the JobKeeper program,a review of which has just been handed to the Government.
The Minister said the Government's focus was on supporting people who were still struggling with the effects of the pandemic after September.
"We are working in that environment of transition at the moment, we are not looking at the long-term," she said.
Opposition says lack of clarity on payment 'cruel'
Shadow Social Services Minister Linda Burney said the Government owed it to Australians who were relying on the payment to provide more concrete information about how much it would increase by and when.
"This is cruel, people are afraid and worried about their future," she said.
"Scott Morrison needs to stand up and be very clear with people, not brief media organisations but be very clear with people about what the intention is with both JobSeeker and JobKeeper."
Ms Burney said there were too many "mixed messages" and called for the future of the payment to be made public.
