The Greens say that State, Territory and Federal Governments need to provide more financial support to people on income support and low incomes in lockdown if we are to succeed in fighting the delta variant.
 
"Last year we had the JobSeeker supplement and the JobKeeper payments which changed people's lives and enabled them to manage some very difficult times", Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 
"The Federal Government took those supports away cruelly and prematurely.
 

The Senate Community Affairs References Committee has tabled its fourth interim report into the Government’s robodebt scheme.
 
“The Committee does not accept the Government’s ongoing claim of public interest immunity in regards to the legal advice on the illegal robodebt scheme”, Senator Rachel Siewert said.
 

The Greens say it is unconscionable for the Government to be chasing income support recipients for JobKeeper debts when billionaires collected millions in Jobkeeper while turning significant profits. 
 
“There is a clear double standard between individuals receiving income support and businesses who claimed Jobkeeper'', Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said. 

 “I am certain the vast majority of these so-called debts will be genuine mistakes in a confusing system. 

I'm speaking from my home in lockdown, as greater Sydney has entered its sixth week of lockdown. Millions of people are under stay-at-home orders as the virus circulates in our community Tragically, people are dying because vaccinations haven't been provided even to essential workers who have to leave home and are expected to stoically put their health and that of their families at risk. It was heartbreaking to hear today of the death of 27-year-old Aude Alaskar, who collapsed in his Warwick Farm unit.

 The Greens say that older Australians are at significant risk without mandatory COVID -19 vaccines for all aged care workers, including those working in home care and disability care.
 
“It’s shocking that workers caring for a very vulnerable population in their homes, moving between many households in a day are not a priority for the vaccine rollout", Greens spokesperson on Ageing Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

The Greens say that the additional $200 for people on income support who have lost 8 hours of work a week is a step in the right direction but once again it isn’t enough.

It’s very simple: to ensure people stay safe, the Government must ensure everyone can afford to stay home during lockdowns. 

Once again, a confusing, delayed and piecemeal process to access support has exacerbated the mental ill-health of people in our community. 

The Greens have released new research showing up to 260,000 single parents, students and jobseekers in locked-down states of NSW, Victoria and SA who are barred from emergency lockdown payments could lose hundreds of dollars a week and slip below the poverty line.

The Greens are calling on the Morrison government to reinstate JobSeeker at $1,100 a fortnight and reintroduce JobKeeper.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt:

The Australian Greens say that ACOSS’ Report “Locked out in Lockdown: A report about people with the least trying to survive in lockdown” highlights that the Morrison Government has created a two-class income support response.  
 
“This Government has locked out people with the least. People who have lost paid work because of lockdowns are able to access the $600 per week COVID-19 Disaster Payments, while those on JobSeeker Payment are getting half as much at $315 per week”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

The Australian Greens said today the Morrison Government has abandoned people on income support payments during the middle of the pandemic. 
 
“This harsh and cruel treatment condemning people to deeper poverty is unconscionable” said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services.