Amanda Rishworth
Kingston · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“He contacted my office to let me know that this will make a huge difference to him and other young people in the retail workspace who now feel they can get ahead and start saving for a home. Tax cuts are also coming in on 1 July.”
“Of course, the Labor Party is the party of superannuation. We firmly believe that superannuation enables people to save for their retirement. It is a very important reform.”
“Yesterday was 1 July, and this was a really important day where a lot of cost-of-living help was provided by this government. Starting from 1 July, I'm really very pleased that workers that rely on the national minimum wage and national minimum award wages will have seen a boost to their wages.”
“We know that this government is backing not only a minimum wage rise but also tax cuts for workers. This government is delivering a fairer tax system for hardworking Australians. From today, over 14 million taxpayers will get a tax cut delivered by this Labor government.”
“I'd like to thank the member for Moreton for her question and for her years and years of standing up for working Australians in this place and before she came here. This Albanese Labor government is delivering real change for Australians with a range of cost-of-living measures coming in from today.”
“Our commitment to boost the minimum wage has been welcomed by workers like Bianca. Bianca is a retail worker, and she said, 'Getting this pay rise helps those in less fortunate situations like me.' This pay rise means that Raj, a support worker, can afford to buy a new bike for his son, which he has been asking for.”
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“Those changes introduced the partial-capacity-to-work rule to the independence criteria, which was intended to apply to youth allowance recipients only. It's now understood that a drafting error in the 2005 amendments means that certain DSP recipients under 21 are impacted. This in turn affected the rates of support those recipients were entitled to receive. Without this bill, it would mean that arrangements would be at odds with the objective of Australia's Disability Strategy, providing a perverse incentive for young people to drop out of study, and apprenticeships. This bill is important to maintain the current arrangements for youth DSP payment rates and will validate past rate decisions, consistent with the longstanding policy intent of these arrangements. I commend the bill to the House.”
“I am very pleased to speak to and sum up on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes) Bill 2025, which will amend the Social Security Act 1991 to maintain current arrangements for the youth disability support payment rates. This includes different rates for recipients aged under 21, depending on their circumstances, including family situation. This reflects the long-established policy position that higher rates of payment should be targeted to those with greater need, such as those that are living independently or away from home. These technical amendments are necessary as a recent merits review decision highlighted an unintended consequence of the Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Other Measures) Act 2005.”
“The passage of this bill will maintain current arrangements for youth disability support pension payment rates. I commend this bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
“In addition, without this bill, there would be a distinction between DSP rates for youth recipients based on whether they are undertaking full-time study or are a new apprentice. They would receive a lower rate of support than other youth DSP recipients, meaning there would be a perverse incentive for young people with disability to stop studying to receive the higher independent rate of payment. This would be at odds with the priorities of Australia's Disability Strategy which includes providing support to people with disability to achieve their full potential through education and learning. To leave the legislation unchanged would undermine this priority. This bill will also validate past rate decisions consistent with this longstanding policy.”
“However, as a result of the merits review outcome, it is now understood that a drafting error in the amendments made in 2005 means that certain DSP recipients under 21 are impacted. This, in turn, affected the rates of support those recipients are entitled to receive. This bill makes technical changes to provide for the intended different rates of payment for DSP youth recipients, based on their circumstances, including their family situation. For those young people who are assessed as independent, or needing to live away from home, it is appropriate that they receive a higher level of financial support from government, recognising their circumstances and need for additional assistance.”
“These technical amendments are necessary as a recent merits review decision highlighted an unintended consequence of the Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Other Measures) Act 2005. That act introduced the partial capacity to work rule 'independence' criteria for youth allowance recipients. The accompanying Explanatory Memorandum indicates that this was intended to apply to youth allowance recipients only. It was not the objective of the partial capacity to work independence amendments to affect the DSP, which is a completely different payment category. Or that the amendments would affect the rate of payment a DSP recipient receives.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Social Security Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes) Bill 2025 will amend the Social Security Act 1991 to maintain current arrangements for youth disability support pension payment rates. The Disability Support Pension—the DSP—has different rates for recipients aged under 21, depending on their circumstances, including their family situation. This includes a single dependent living at home rate, and a higher independent rate. This reflects the long-established policy position that higher rates of payment should be targeted to those with greater need, such as those living independently or away from home.”