Embarrassing for nation that Newstart hasn’t been addressed: Zali Steggall

Zali Steggall has called for bipartisan support for raising the Newstart allowance.

Zali Steggall appears on last night's episode of Q&A.

Independent MP for Warringah Zali Steggall called for bipartisan support for raising the Newstart allowance, after Liberal MP for Mackellar Jason Falinski dodged questions about raising the payment, on last night’s episode of Q&A.

Mr Falinski defended the “$172 billion welfare system” after an audience member said she had worked for 46 years, and was forced onto Newstart at the age of 62.

I went on Newstart in my 60s. How can older Australians on Newstart “have a go to get a go?” #QandA pic.twitter.com/Dw3V3BSeJV

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) August 5, 2019

“We have done a number of things in the government to try and make sure that our system which is $172 billion welfare system per annum is as bespoke as possible,” he said.

“Australia has a very successful welfare and tax and transfer system in this country.

“It’s one of the reasons that we have very high-income mobility levels and very low levels of income inequality,” Mr Falinski said.

Mr Falinski tried to dodge the question about changing Newstart by saying he would talk to the audience member after the show.

“I don’t know enough about your life circumstances to comment. All I can say is we as a government are doing as much as we possibly can to create a system that allow people to get as quickly from welfare to work as possible,” Mr Falinksi said.

Australian Council of Social Service CEO Cassandra Goldie hit back at Mr Falinski, saying everyone on Newstart had a different story, and the government needed to create a system which could help people in different situations.

“Just about everybody in the country agrees that Newstart is unbearable,” Ms Goldie said, “It’s an absolute travesty that we, as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, have refused to do what a good government would do so far.”

Ms Steggall said the support for raising Newstart should be “bipartisan” and welfare payments should give people the ability to live reasonably.

“I think it’s embarrassing for us as a nation that we haven’t addressed it and raised it.”

"I think it's embarrassing for our nation" @zalisteggall, @SenKatyG and @Adam_Creighton discuss the Newstart allowance #QandA pic.twitter.com/5VIfUmK9Ko

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) August 5, 2019

Labor Party spokeswoman for Finance Katy Gallagher deflected attention from the ALP failing to say they would have raised the Newstart allowance during the election.

“(Labor’s position) is this is firmly and squarely in the government’s court … I think at this point we’re saying Newstart doesn’t provide (a safety net) anymore. And the government needs to sort it, it is one of the benefits of winning the election,” Ms Gallagher said.

The Australian’s economic editor Adam Creighton said both sides of politics had failed people trying to live on Newstart, and allowed the myth of “dole bludgers” to continue.

“Neither side of politics has acted on this, you’re sitting there (Katy Gallagher) yet the Rudd- Gillard government was in for six years and didn’t do anything,” Creighton said.

“We do need to recognise this idea of dole bludgers is wrong, some people on the payment will be lazy and won’t seek work, but I do think the large majority of them do seek work. Who wants to live on $280 a week? Not many people.”

Anti-corruption

Ms Steggall said crossbench MPs “cut a very lonely figure” in parliament, standing up for national anti-corruption body, and both parties were unwilling to hold themselves to account.

“There is that complete loss of faith when it comes to our politics and politicians and real concern for corruption and there is a strong need for a national anti-corruption commission. It has to be done,” Ms Steggall said.

Mr Falinski pushed back at Ms Steggall’s claims, saying people had been misled into believing there were no checks and balances on corrupt politics.

Both major parties seem reluctant to investigate corruption and Crown Casino. Could a a federal anti-corruption body restore public trust in our political process? #QandA pic.twitter.com/gv83I0syGk

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) August 5, 2019

“I’m afraid you guys have been misled. The government has referred this to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity,” Mr Falinski said.

“It has powers that a parliamentary committee could never have, and it will investigate these allegations quite clearly with the powers that it possess.”

He said lives would be destroyed if a national body was given too much power, citing the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption as an example.

Ms Steggall rejected Mr Falinski’s comments as “rubbish” saying the proposed national body would be an amalgamation of all the current state bodies which investigate corruption.

“It’s not just about what’s happened in New South Wales. We have had very good operating bodies in other states, and the proposal from an anti-corruption point of view is actually taking the best of all our system,” Ms Steggall said.

Ms Goldie said the community was crying out for a national anti-corruption body, saying both major parties were too busy “politicking” to focus on what Australians want.

Creighton said a national body into anti-corruption could gain too much power and would be “a picnic” for lawyers.

“I think Australian politics isn’t perfect but on most indices around the world, we’re one of the least corrupt countries and I don’t see why you’d make a big structural change following on from something that was on 60 Minutes?” Creighton said.

Nuclear power

The panel turned to nuclear power, sparking a heated debated after Creighton claimed renewables were never going to work.

“Renewables will never get it. The overwhelming bulk of Australia’s energy comes from gas and coal and we focus on so-called renewables … (the name) creates the impression they’re free,” Creighton said.

Given the new safer innovations in nuclear power, why does Labor oppose Angus Taylor’s proposal for a parliamentary inquiry? #QandA pic.twitter.com/e28sWzGsNZ

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) August 5, 2019

“Everyone says there will be battery technology, but that is assuming that the rest of the progress in battery technology will continue upward fore ever and it will all work out perfectly,” Creighton said, saying people relying on battery technology were facing power bill increases of 100 per cent.

“I came back from Chicago and in the state of Illinois they have ten nuclear power stations. The cost of electricity is a third of what it is in New South Wales. France as well, I think they have 30 nuclear power stations. Their power is much cheaper than ours,” he continued

Ms Gallagher said the Liberal party was only tabling nuclear party as a distraction for their political woes.

“Our view is this is year another review, we don’t believe that (energy minister) Angus Taylor is genuine about this, we think that this is him distracting from what has been a rather difficult month in politics,” Ms Gallagher said.

“My feedback from the community is they want action now, they want a national energy policy … (nuclear power) is something that has been tested a number of times since 1950. And has been rejected every single time.”