No plan for permanent boost to dole, says Minister Anne Ruston

Social Affairs Minister Anne Ruston says government plans to permanently increase the dole payment, branding reports as ‘factually incorrect’.

Social Services Minister Anne Ruston on Sunday said she was not aware of any proposal or submission in front of cabinet to increase ­unemployment benefits. Picture: AAP

Social Affairs Minister Anne Ruston has rejected claims the government plans to permanently increase the dole payment, branding reports of a proposal for a $75 weekly increase to JobSeeker as “factually incorrect”.

Senator Ruston’s comments come after Treasury on Friday lodged its eagerly anticipated ­review into the performance of the JobKeeper program — a key report that will help define the planned transition away from emergency fiscal support. As the economy suffers through its first recession in close to three decades, the September expiry date for major measures such as the $70bn wage subsidy program and boosted JobSeeker payment looms as a potential pinch point for the hoped for ­recovery.

The number of unemployed Australians could go as high as 1.1 million over the coming three months, say estimates from the CBA, an increase of 400,00 from pre-pandemic levels.

As debate intensifies over the longer-term future of JobSeeker, Ms Ruston on Sunday said she was not aware of any proposal or submission in front of cabinet to increase ­unemployment benefits to $715.70 a fortnight, from a base rate of $565.70 a fortnight.

“And given I’m the Social Services Minister, you’d like to think I’d be aware of it,” she said.

The future of the $550 fortnightly coronavirus welfare supplement would be considered in the context of the JobKeeper ­review, Ms Ruston said.