I speak from personal experience with receiving Jobseeker over the years. On and off for a decade, I've navigated the welfare system, a situation I'd never imagined I'd find myself in. The financial burden was immense—attempting to meet daily expenses out of my pocket was hard enough, let alone handling larger financial responsibilities like car registrations. I was fortunate to have the support of my family, without whom I might have been unable to survive.

When the pandemic struck, Centrelink payments were almost doubled for a brief period, and, for the first time, they reached an amount that allowed recipients to live rather than survive. However, this raise was short-lived and quickly scaled back, leaving a majority struggling again to sustain a decent lifestyle. A minor increase to the pre-COVID level after the worst of the pandemic was 'over' was a depressing development and not financially enough for people like myself.

Today, we urge the Australian Government to consider the livelihoods of the thousands who rely on this welfare—thousands of individuals like me who depend on these payments to meet basic living standards. By 2025, we ask for a meaningful increase to the jobseeker payment, setting it at a rate that truly reflects the cost of living in Australia.

The Australian Government needs to make both these payments affordable for those who need them most. No one should live with the constant dread of financial insecurity. It's time for a change that can make a difference in our lives.