Coalition MPs are divided over the current JobSeeker rate as pressure mounts on Prime Minster Scott Morrison to increase the welfare payment permanently.
RBA Governor Philip Lowe endorsed an increase to the payment during his National Press Club address this week but Liberal and National MPs are concerned it would discourage Australians from finding work.
Nationals MPs Anne Webster and Barnaby Joyce, and Victorian Liberal MP Russell Broadbent have conceded the $40 a day rate is not liveable .
Mr Joyce said an extension of the current rate is needed beyond March but suggested the government would need to bolster compliance for jobseekers.
Regulator found a power imbalance between media and Google and Facebook
Australian government wants to pass a new law to force big tech to pay for news
Google has threatened to leave the Australian market if the code goes ahead
Facebook said it may be forced to stop Australians from seeing news content
Microsoft says it would never threaten to leave and has supported the code
Australia s new trade minister said his Chinese counterpart will not speak to him
Dan Tehan wrote to Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao a month ago
But the Communist Party member has not bothered to respond to the letter
Beijing has hit Australia with litany of arbitrary tariffs and unofficial export bans
The authoritarian state is furious with Australia over an ongoing diplomatic spat
PM has ‘abdicated’ his responsibility on borders: Marles28/01/2021|7min
Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles says the pandemic has seen an “abdication” of Prime Minster Scott Morrison and his government from their federal role in relation to border issues.
This comes after Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese unveiled his new front bench following the decision to reshuffle the Shadow Cabinet.
“When we look at the way in which COVID has played out over the last year, despite the establishment of the National Cabinet, our federation has been put under enormous stress,” Mr Marles said.
“There has been an abdication by this prime minister and this government from playing the federal government role within our federation and everything we have seen, in respect of our borders.
Australia’s 72-hour suspension of its travel bubble with New Zealand after one COVID-19 cases demonstrates a “definite switch” in Prime Minster Scott Morrison’s approach to the virus according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
Mr Clennell said the prime minster is moving toward the hard-line states approach which has worked electorally for the state premiers who are very popular among their voters.
“I think Morrison’s seen the polling, he’s sniffed the wind, he’s going to go the same direction,” he said.
“That’s not good news if you want to see loved ones or holiday in different states by the way.
“If he’s going to support these border lockdowns and snap lockdowns after just one or two cases”.
This comes amid speculation there could be an early election later this year.