My question is to the Minister for Social Services. When can the people in my electorate of Werriwa expect to receive some cost-of-living relief delivered through the Albanese Labor government's strengthening the safety net package?

Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston—Minister for Social Services) (15:03): I'd like to thank the member for Werriwa for her question. Of course, our government knows many Australians are doing it tough right now. That's why we've outlined in our budget cost-of-living relief for millions of Australians—cost-of-living relief that's responsible and cost-of-living relief that is targeted. Through our $14.6 billion cost-of-living relief plan the government has a plan to help millions of Australians in different circumstances and different settings. This of course includes relief from power bills, cheaper medicines and historic investment into Medicare, and our families are benefiting from our cheaper childcare plan and enhanced paid parental leave.

But one of the key focuses of our cost-of-living package is to help those doing it toughest. Improvements we announced in the budget to many income support payments delivered through our strengthening safety net bill are currently before the Senate, and they will do some really important things. They will increase support for eligible working-age payments and student payments. They will extend the eligibility for jobseekers to the higher rate to help more older Australians that face long-term unemployment, often as a result of discrimination or sickness. It extends the eligibility for parenting payment single to help 57,000 extra single parents get extra support.

It's providing the largest increase in Commonwealth rent assistance in 30 years. Combined, these measures will give extra assistance to around two million Australians on income support. I'm pleased to inform the member who asked the question, and all members of the house, that this support will flow very soon, from 20 September, in seven short weeks. That is, of course, if the bill passes the Senate. I woke up this morning surprised to see that those opposite are deciding to block our safety net bill. They want to deny those on the lowest incomes an increase of $40 a fortnight. This is outrageous and it shows what heartless, heartless people they are. Of course they want to block our rent assistance. They want to block our increase to the single parenting payment. They want to block extra support for those over 55, because that's what our bill does. It provides important cost-of-living relief. It is time that those opposite stopped playing politics with that. Stop playing politics with those who need our help. Get out of the way, in the Senate, let the bill pass and— (Time expired)

Link to Hansard: Full Question