Last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Coalition MPs that any increases in welfare spending should go to pensioners, not the unemployed:
Pensioners will be prioritised ahead of unemployed Australians for any boost to welfare payments as the Morrison government stands firm against growing demands to lift the Newstart allowance.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told colleagues returning the budget to surplus is his “number one priority” and any future increase in welfare payments will be directed towards the 2 million Australians on the aged pension.
