Senator Rachel Siewert | Politician
Senator Rachel Siewert
Phone: +61 8 9228 3277
Reviews
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25.01.2022 A single jobseeker will receive the third lowest unemployment benefit in the OECD when the COVID supplement is reduced by $300 a fortnight on September 25.
25.01.2022 Disability Support Pensioners are currently on the #CashlessDebitCard in Ceduna, the East Kimberley, and the Goldfields. We also know that almost half of people on JobSeeker are sick or disabled and unable to access DSP. These people in the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay trial site are stuck on the cashless card.
24.01.2022 The Cashless Debit Card has been extremely costly to implement. Expanding the card to more communities will only increase the cost of social security provision.
23.01.2022 I'm shocked and saddened by what has happened to the sacred trees on Djab Wurrung country. Government at all levels have to stop allowing the destruction of the worlds oldest living culture. Australia was shocked at Rio Tinto’s wanton destruction of the Juukan Gorge - but it’s happening all over again.... We must do everything within our power to stop it.
22.01.2022 The Government is waiting until the December budget update - right before Christmas - to tell JobSeekers whether or not they'll have to survive on $40 a day from January 1st. This is cruel.
22.01.2022 Join Dr Elise Klein and myself in conversation next week to talk about Elises research into the Cashless Debit Card trial, the campaign to stop the card and the Governments plans to extend the current trial sites. You can RSVP here to be alerted when were live: https://bit.ly/2ZpiJe4
22.01.2022 While Government MPs make a lot of claims about ‘responsibility’ and the ‘obligations’ of people on income support, they fail to accept any of the responsibility they have to show evidence to support their claims about the Cashless Debit Card. I wrote an article unpacking the card and the reasons it should be abolished
21.01.2022 A proper COVID aged care plan with better regulation and infection control, more care workers with better pay so they didn’t have to work across multiple sites would have saved lives. I asked today what the Government is doing about aged care infection control and they are STILL relying on providers to self-report to know if staff are working across multiple aged care facilities.
21.01.2022 This morning at the COVID committee we heard directly from the Mental Health sector who urged the Government to back down from their planned cuts to JobSeeker. There is a clear link between poverty and ill mental health which is why we need to keep JobSeeker above the poverty line.
20.01.2022 The Government is considering bringing forward tax cuts for the wealthy while cutting JobSeeker by $300 a fortnight, taking people looking for work below the poverty line. The cost of bringing forward the 2 rounds of tax cuts that will mostly benefit those on six figure salaries is $28 billion. Instead, the Government should prioritise the more than one million unemployed ahead of the wealthy. To get out of this recession, we need to invest in job-creation, the care economy, nation-building infrastructure, not give tax cuts to those that dont need extra support.
20.01.2022 Send a postcard to the Social Services Minister to scrap the Cashless Debit Card greens.org.au/campaigns/send-postcard-scrapthecard Despite there being no evidence that compulsory income management works, the Government has legislation before Parliament to make all the current Cashless Debit Card trial sites permanent, and expand the card into the Northern Territory and Cape York to replace the BasicsCard. The Cashless Debit Card doesn’t help people with addiction, it does...n’t help people find jobs, and only serves to make life harder for those doing it tough. The legislation will need to pass Parliament before the end of the year to keep the current ‘trials’ going. Fill in your details to send off your postcard, demanding the Government abolish the Cashless Debit Card.
19.01.2022 Hi everyone I’m here with another Mutual Obligations update. SOUTH AUSTRALIA... The Government has lifted Mutual Obligation requirements for jobseekers in South Australia from 18 November 2020 until Sunday 29 November 2020. No South Australian jobseeker will receive a payment suspension or financial penalty for failing to meet their Mutual Obligation requirements such as not being able to attend appointments or activities. Please let us know if you have any issues with your payment or provider during this time. VICTORIA From Monday 23 November 2020 there will be a ‘gradual’ return to Mutual Obligations for people in Victoria. Mutual Obligation requirements will apply to all jobseekers in Victoria on jobactive, Online Employment Services, Disability Employment Services and participants in the ParentsNext program. According to the Department, elements of Mutual Obligation requirements for job seekers may include: - participating in appointments with their employment service provider, - agreeing to a job plan, - participating in agreed activities where it is safe to do so, - looking for a maximum of 8 jobs a month, and - maccepting an offer of suitable work. I know many people are still anxious about being in public places and catching public transport so if you are I suggest that you request to conduct your appointments over the phone. From 23 November 2020 jobseekers in Victoria may be subject to income support payment suspensions or penalties if Mutual Obligation requirements are not met and there is no valid reason. People in Victoria who are receiving both JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments may also have Mutual Obligation requirements, depending on their circumstances, consistent with the arrangements for part time workers who are also in receipt of Job Seeker. Individuals who only receive JobKeeper are not subject to mutual obligation requirements. If you are having any issues with your provider please get in contact with my office by phone (08) 9228 3277 or send us a message here.
19.01.2022 The WA State Government has released a draft of the new Aboriginal Heritage bill for public comment with the intent to introduce it into State Parliament before the end of this year. First Nations peoples in WA have been let down time and time again with the outdated and ineffective Aboriginal Heritage Act of 1972 that allows for the wholesale destruction of heritage sites. In May, Rio Tinto destroyed a 46,000 year old rock shelter at Juukan Gorge - a site deemed to be one o...f the highest archaeological significance in Australia - without the consent of Traditional Owners. Now we find out that there are more than 100 sacred First Nations sites throughout Western Australia that mining companies have legal permission to destroy. The era of State and Federal Government allowing the mining industrys access to any land they want has to end. The McGowan Government cannot allow this wanton destruction to continue. They do not have the social licence and the world is watching. You can see the draft bill and make a submission here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/aha-review
19.01.2022 Inequality has been growing for a long time in Australia, but it appears that COVID-19 has accelerated this problem, leaving millions in economic stress whilst big company profits and share prices soar. Todays announcement of a quarterly drop in GDP of 7.0% confirms that Australia is in a recession for the first time since 1991. Now is not the time to be dropping #JobSeeker back to below the poverty line.
18.01.2022 A million children will be dropped below the poverty line come 25th September - this is a choice the Government is making and it is appalling.
18.01.2022 Lets talk about the upcoming federal budget. There is a lot at stake. With 1.6 million people currently receiving JobSeeker and a further 3.5 million receiving JobKeeper from their employer. The Treasurer has said that he takes inspiration for fiscal strategy from Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan; two leaders well known for their commitment to austerity and small government. Their policies included principles like trickle-down economics, deregulation of the economy an...d reduction in Government spending on social services. With all the Governments talk of national debt and deficit, Im very worried that the budget will be filled to the brim with austerity measures. It is a myth that social security and public health programs are unaffordable. Keeping people above the poverty line is whats right for our community and good for our economy. We need people to have enough to pay for rent, food, essential bills and medications and we need them to be spending locally. Austerity measures are certainly not a new means of governing; rather, they have a history of being evoked during times of crisis and to justify cuts. The terms Global Financial Crisis, debt and deficit have become a political football used by this Government to justify austerity. Cutting public spending will result in stagnating economic growth plagued by high unemployment. Many countries that opted for austerity measures in the 2008 GFC had a decade of poor economic growth, low wages, rising poverty and increased social risks. In austerity-driven economies, the incomes of the poorest citizens have become the collateral of the recession. Their rights to income support, living standards and employment opportunities risk being diminished to aid the short-term repayment of the countrys debt. We should be investing in people making sure that our income support system enables people to live above the poverty line, invest in stimulating the economy and generating jobs.
18.01.2022 The COVID supplement is set to drop by $300 a fortnight on September 25 which will force millions of Australians below the poverty line. Today I am seeking the support of the Senate to keep the supplement at $550 a fortnight through the introduction of amendments. There is very clear evidence that the $550 COVID supplement has kept 2.2 million Australians out of poverty and almost eliminated it amongst JobSeeker recipients. ... What sort of Government wants to go back to an income support system that condemns people to living in poverty for simply not being able to find work?
18.01.2022 The Government is considering pushing ahead with $28 billion of tax cuts that will mostly benefit those on six figure salaries. At the same time, JobSeeker will be cut by $300 a fortnight. The Government should be prioritising the more than one million unemployed ahead of the wealthy. We need to invest in job-creation, the care economy, nation-building infrastructure, not giving tax cuts to those that dont need extra support.
18.01.2022 Cutting the COVID supplement by $300 a fortnight is going to have a huge impact, not only in dropping people back to below the poverty line, but it is also going to have a devastating impact on our economy. Where are people that are in rental stress going to be living? What happens when people have to start defaulting on their home loans? We cannot allow the Government to drop jobseekers back to below the poverty line.
18.01.2022 **DEBT RECOVERY UPDATE** It is absolutely disgraceful that the Government has decided it will recommence their debt raising program from November 2. This decision excludes areas that remain in a state of disaster such as Victoria. We are in the middle of a recession due to a global pandemic. The Government should be ashamed of their decision to resume chasing people for debts. ... It was only a few weeks ago that the Government, along with Labor, passed legislation to fast-track tax cuts for millionaires. It's obscene. The Government really has an ideological obsession with punishing people on income support. What the Government should be doing is spending the time to sort out their own illegal robodebt mess. ------------------------------- If you need help right now, it’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; >Lifeline - 131 114 or www.lifeline.org.au >Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800 or www.kidshelpline.com.au >Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au >Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 or www.beyondblue.org.au/ >Translating and Interpreting Service - 131 450 or www.tisnational.gov.au
17.01.2022 The Minister thinks giving tax cuts to high income earners will magically create enough jobs for 1.8 million Australians. Now it not the time to put more money in the pockets of millionaires, its time to ensure people dont fall below the poverty line. The economy cannot overcome a recession if people are plunge into poverty.
17.01.2022 It's very sad to see that some Government MPs are happy to condemn the people they are elected to represent to poverty and economic insecurity in the midst of a recession.
17.01.2022 Nearly two-thirds of Australians are in favour of pill testing at music festivals. We’ve seen overseas and even at trials here in Australia, that when people get better information about the potentially harmful ingredients in a pill, they’re far more likely to bin it. Drug use is a health issue not a criminal issue. Community based pill testing will save lives.
17.01.2022 Income management has always targeted First Nations peoples. Whether it was during the Northern Territory Intervention when it was first introduced, or during the Cashless Debit Card ongoing 'trials', First Nations peoples are disproportionately impacted. Despite being only 3.3% of the Australian population, First Nations peoples make up over half of people on the Cashless Debit Card.... It's time this racist card is ditched for good.
17.01.2022 The Government is cutting the COVID supplement by $300 a fortnight on September 25th. This means that 1.8 million people currently receiving the JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance will go back to living on a payment below the poverty line. This will gut the economy by $31 billion. Meanwhile the Government is considering pushing ahead with $28 billion of tax cuts that will mostly benefit those on high salaries. ... The Government should be prioritising the more than one million people without work ahead of the millionaires. You can send off a pre-filled email to the Treasurer, urging him to reconsider: https://thegreens.good.do/raisetherate/email-treasurer/
16.01.2022 The Government’s recovery plan should include measures that support all jobseekers, and include a plan for experienced workers to re-enter the workforce. With such policies as the JobMaker hiring credit, the Government’s plan is clearly to create conditions for cheaper, temporary jobs at the expense of ongoing employment particularly for experienced workers.
16.01.2022 Centrelink pursued a disability support pensioner living with a cognitive impairment for a $2,000 debt he did not understand and that was caused by the agency’s own mistakes. Absolutely shameful.
15.01.2022 Four in five people currently living on the increased rate of JobSeeker will be forced to skip meals when the COVID supplement is cut. Shockingly almost half of recipients will also have to ration their medication.
15.01.2022 Jobactive is not fit for purpose. We must move to a supportive model that meets peoples needs and focuses on supporting people rather than punishing them. People should not be made to fulfil mutual obligations in the middle of a recession due to a global pandemic.
14.01.2022 The Minister for Social Services just confirmed at Estimates that the Government plans the extend the JobSeeker COVID Supplement past December 31. However, he would not confirm the amount or when we will see the legislation. The Government needs to get the legislation drafted ASAP for us to properly scrutinise it. Of course this does not take away from the need for a permanent increase to JobSeeker. I'll keep fighting for JobSeeker to be permanently increased above the poverty line.
13.01.2022 Evidence shows that the higher rate of JobSeeker has not acted as a disincentive for people to look for work - despite what the Government would have people believe. There has been no evidence to show that job vacancies were taking longer to fill. This rhetoric pushed by the Government has been solely based on anecdotal evidence. It is outrageous that the Government have continued their ideological attacks on people on income support in the face of the worst recession of a generation.
13.01.2022 This R U OK Day, the Government can do more to support the mental health of Australians. 1 Extend Medicare-funded telehealth for mental health care services: The temporary Medicare funded telehealth items for mental health care is due to expire on September 30. There is no doubt that this will have dire consequences for Australians, particularly those in Victoria, in quarantine or residing in COVID hotspots. ... Now more than ever, it is essential that we have a resilient and accessible mental health care system that ensures people can seek and receive the care they need, when they need it. 2 Introduce a 3-tiered system of access to Medicare-funded psychology sessions under the Better Access program: Currently the Better Access program provides up to 10 Medicare-funded psychology sessions a year, which unfortunately does not provide the level of support needed for individuals with more complex mental health conditions. The COVID crisis has clearly highlighted the need for reform of this program, as we see people with pre-existing conditions face exacerbated symptoms and an increased need for support. The Greens support calls to introduce a 3-tiered system of access to Medicare-funded psychology sessions under the Better Access program. This would mean that patients could access up to 40 psychology sessions across a three tier system within a 12 month period. It is recommended that the first tier contain a maximum of 10 sessions, a maximum of 20 sessions in the second tier and a maximum of 40 in the third tier, within a 12 month period.
12.01.2022 Were not all in this together when there are workers without access to sick leave during a pandemic. The Greens are continuing to fight for 14 days paid COVID-19 leave to all workers, including part time, casual and gig economy workers.
12.01.2022 I have had the incredible privilege to represent The Australian Greens as a Senator for WA for over 15 years. After much thinking, I have decided not to stand again and therefore will not be nominating for pre-selection for the next federal election. But I still have a lot of work to get done before then! ... I will be continuing to campaign for people and the planet and working to get a permanent raise to the JobSeeker payment, scrapping the Cashless Debit Card, and ensure urgent reforms are made in aged care. I want to thank you all for your very kind words that I have received over the weekend about my decision. Being a Senator has given me some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. I have worked alongside Greens from all across the country calling for compassion, justice, and action on climate change. Rachel
11.01.2022 SECOND EMAIL ACTION: The Government has signalled that it plans to bring the Cashless Debit Card legislation to a vote in the Senate NEXT WEEK. This legislation will extend the Cashless Debit Card trial sites again and introduce the card to the Northern Territory. We can stop this cruel and punitive card with the support of the Senate crossbench.... You can send them a pre-filled email here to ask them to block the Cashless Debit Card and the cruel policy of income management. https://thegreens.good.do/scrapthecard/email-crossbench/
11.01.2022 The latest Government investment into aged care is not enough. The sector needs an urgent injection of at least $3 billion as a matter of urgency to guarantee proper quality of care. This is about protecting the most vulnerable.
10.01.2022 This afternoon the Senate voted down my motion to call on the Government to maintain the $550 COVID supplement to keep JobSeeker above the poverty line. We can and should choose to keep people above the poverty line.
09.01.2022 There is a direct correlation between the increased in the poverty rate of single parents and the actions of the Howard and Gillard Governments in changing the eligibility for the Single Parenting payment. Single parents are thrown off the Parenting Payment and onto the lower JobSeeker payment once their youngest child turns 8. This political decision has condemned hundreds of thousands of children into poverty and set them up for a life of disadvantage and poor wellbeing. ... This disaster of a policy needs to be changed to reinstate the Single Parenting Payment for single parents until their youngest child is 16.
09.01.2022 There are almost 1.5 million job seekers but only 139,000 job vacancies. There is absolutely no justification for the Government to continue to cut the COVID Supplement.
08.01.2022 Have you sent off you postcard to demand the #CashlessDebitCard be abolished? If not, you can do that right here greens.org.au/campaigns/send-postcard-scrapthecard
08.01.2022 This pretty much sums up how Budget Estimates has been going this week
07.01.2022 Its important to acknowledge the anxiety, distress and concern many people may be experiencing in relation to COVID, particularly those in Victoria, in quarantine or residing in COVID hotspots. If you need someone to talk to, these helplines are open 24/7 and there to support you
07.01.2022 The resignation of #RioTinto CEO Mr Jacques is a good sign that the company is taking some responsibility for the Juukan Gorge disaster but there needs to be a cultural shift in the entire company and across the mining industry. This cannot just be a symbolic gesture, there is still a lot of work to do. The mining industry in WA has a long history of throwing their weight around in this state and the industry has demonstrated a disregard of First Nations peoples, evidenced ...by the large number of sacred sites approved for destruction. It is now time for the Federal and State Minister to take some responsibility and change the laws to give control to First Nations peoples.
06.01.2022 Our current employment services system is not fit for purpose and has been failing unemployed workers for years. Jobactive further entrenches economic disadvantage by enforcing mutual obligation requirements on jobseekers. The evidence shows that mutual obligations, also known as welfare conditionality, dont work in assisting people to find paid work and can lead to increased poverty and poorer health outcomes. We know that certain cohorts of people face significant chal...lenges in the labour market. Yet jobactive is not effectively meeting the needs of disabled people, young people, older people, refugees and people with complex barriers. We need a system that takes into account individual needs and circumstances, and is tailored accordingly. Moving services online is not a silver bullet.
06.01.2022 It was very disappointing to see Senator O'Sullivan promoting the #CashlessDebitCard in the media this morning. Senator O'Sullivan made a lot of claims about the card that are not backed up by ANY evidence. He says: We have an obligation to taxpayers to ensure that the more than $110 billion we spend on welfare each year is done in a responsible way. I reckon we have a very strong obligation to invest in social programs that are proven to work and are effective in making p...eoples lives better. Implementing the Cashless Debit Card has been extremely costly. The Government has spent MILLIONS to trial the card. In June 2019, the cost of implement the cashless card was $11,000 per participant. In February last year, almost $9.8 million of funding was paid to Indue, the private company contracted to control all operational aspects of the card. We shouldn't forget that this card was first developed to target First Nations communities in the Northern Territory. All the evidence shows that income management did not meet ANY of its objectives during the Northern Territory Intervention when it was first introduced. When auditing the current Cashless Debit Card trial sites, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) was unable to to show that the card reduced drug and alcohol related harm. The evaluation actually confirmed that most participants in the trial sites did not have underlying drug or alcohol dependency or experienced gambling related harm. For people experiencing addiction, cutting off access to cash may result in 'circumnavigation' behaviours, where people seek out other means to access alcohol or drugs, often with detrimental consequences for themselves and those around them. Despite my continued questions, the Government has also failed to collect baseline data in the trial sites to that outcomes can be compared. The Government's evaluations have been widely criticised and called into question by numerous academics because of the absence of baseline data. The Government continue to rely heavily on hand picked anecdotal reports, and flawed methodology. We need social policy based on outcomes, not perceptions. People's lives are far too important to subject them to this ideological social experiment. If the Government was serious about addressing disadvantage they would be funding programs that are actually proven to work like early intervention programs, addiction and mental health services. The new legislation to make the card permanent has been introduced into the Senate in the absence of the much promised second impact evaluation which should have been published late last year. The big 4 banks, Coles, and Woolworths should steer clear of this disaster of a scheme.
05.01.2022 A huge congratulations to Lidia Thorpe! First Nations representation in Parliament is so important. I look forward to working alongside you in the Senate to push for change.
05.01.2022 With unemployment skyrocketing, many renters are struggling to make ends meet. As bans on evictions and rental increases are wound up across the country, were at serious risk of seeing more people pushed into homelessness. The Government has no plan to manage the rental stress that is coming in just weeks when #JobSeeker is back to below the poverty line. ... Even with the temporary JobSeeker increase there are still very few affordable properties to rent for people on income support.
04.01.2022 It's not only jobseekers subjected the the Cashless Debit Card. There are also single parents, disabled people, and carers on the cashless card.
04.01.2022 This afternoon I jumped into the Economics Committee to ask the Finance Minister how his Government is determining an appropriate rate of JobSeeker? His answer was about as clear and concise as your would expect.
04.01.2022 The Governments planned $28 billion income tax cuts will disproportionately help rich men and leave everyone else further behind. At the same time, the Government is dropping JobSeeker by $300 a fortnight. This will drop more than 1.8 million people below the poverty line. Think this is wrong? Send off a pre-filled email to the Treasurer:... https://thegreens.good.do/raisetherate/email-treasurer/ See more
04.01.2022 Not only will cutting the JobSeeker payment drop people below the poverty line, itll also damage the economy by $31 billion.
03.01.2022 There are more than 100 significant First Nations sites in Western Australia that mining companies have legal permission to destroy. Some of these sites have been dated to before the last ice age. In May, Rio Tinto destroyed a 46,0000 year-old rock shelter at Juukan Gorge - deemed to be of the highest archaeological significance in Australia - without the consent of traditional elders. ... Other sites currently at risk include: Tharbadu or Djadjiling: between 40 to 86 significant sites up to 15,000 years old are at risk. The State Government granted BHP permission to destroy these sites 3 days after the destruction of Juukan Gorge. These sites include rock shelters with painted walls and scar trees. Weelamurra: Fortescue Metals has sought approval to destroy several sites including dozens of rock shelters that date back further than the Juukan Gorge; one dates at 60,000 years old, and the other at 47,800. A majority of the sites in this area have not been properly surveyed by archaeologists. Yirra: Rio Tinto has been given approval to operate nearby at Paraburdoo since 2000. There are 536 First Nations heritage sites within the greater Paraburdoo iron ore hub area. Permanent waterholes, which are sacred to the Yinhawangka and rare in the Pilbara make up to 7% of the sites.
02.01.2022 Despite Australia being in a recession for the first time in nearly 30 years, the PM is still pushing ahead with cutting income support payments.
02.01.2022 More than half a million Australian households have been spared the risk of losing their homes or being forced into house stress due to increased levels of income support. However almost a quarter of those could be tipped into extreme housing affordability stress once the COVID Supplement and JobKeeper cease in 2021. By introducing the COVID Supplement, the Government has acknowledged that $40 was never enough for people to live on. We will continue to hold them to that.
02.01.2022 The temporary Medicare funded telehealth items for mental health care is due to expire on September 30. There is no doubt that this will have dire consequences for Australians, particularly those in Victoria, in quarantine or residing in COVID hotspots. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Australian Medical Association have called for telehealth to be made permanent. Now more than ever, it is essential that we have a resilient and accessible mental... health care system that ensures people can seek and receive the care they need, when they need it. The impact of job losses, economic hardship, lockdowns, daily anxiety, reduced social connectedness and long periods of uncertainty have only added to the challenges that our mental health system was experiencing before the pandemic. It fundamentally makes sense to have mental health supports available via telehealth in the midst of a pandemic. I have written to Minister Hunt about this and am also requesting that the Government release the final Productivity Commission report into Mental Health and the find report of the Medicare Benefits Schedule Task Force recommendations regarding Medicare-funded mental health care. It is important that any recommendations, for long-term, systemic change, and the Governments response to these recommendations, be made public and reforms implemented.
02.01.2022 Here's a reminder that the Cashless Debit Card should be scrapped forever. If you haven't sent off your email to the Senate crossbench to demand they vote against the cashless card legislation, you can do that here https://thegreens.good.do/scrapthecard/CDC-email-crossbench/
01.01.2022 It has been revealed through inquiry that Rio Tinto hired lawyers to prepare for a potential injunction against the destruction of ancient rock shelters in Juukan Gorge three days before it was destroyed in a mining blast. Shameful.
01.01.2022 No one should be forced to live below the poverty line simply because they're unable to find work. JobSeeker can NEVER go back to $40 a day.
