Earlier this week, former National Party senator, John Williams, backed calls by seniors groups to have the Newstart allowance increased for older unemployed people. Williams claimed it is harder for older people to get another job, whereas Ian Henschke from National Seniors Australia claimed it is absurd that an unemployed person aged 65 is expected to live on $15,000 a year, while they get $24,000 a year when they turn 66 and qualify for the pension.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann seems to have rejected their pleading, insisting there is no chance the adequacy of unemployment benefits will be included in an upcoming review of retirement policies:
Senator Cormann agreed that being out of work was tough but ruled out adding Newstart payments to the Morrison government’s review of retirement policies.
