Welfare reforms for migrants to Australia

[Br.IanVonTurpie]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6440963/Centrelink-crackdown-Immigrants-wait-four-years-welfare-payments.html

Labor has come under fire after supporting a move that will force migrants to wait up to four years to claim welfare payments

Under the new measures, migrants granted a permanent skilled or family visa after January 1 next year will have to wait four years for payments like Newstart or concessions cards.

Also, the wait for carer payments, parental leave pay, as well as dad and partner pay will be extended to two years, while carer allowance and family tax benefit part A will result in a one year wait.

No wait times will apply to single parent migrant families or those with one income earner.

Greens senator Nick McKim accused Labor of inflicting poverty, misery and homelessness after the party supported the coalition's measures.

Saying Labor had done a shady deal under the cover of darkness, Greens senator Nick McKim, also called the move 'Trump-esque'.

'It is a Trump-esque punishment of migrants in this country that Labor has stitched up with the Liberal Party so they can get a few budget savings in before they take government next year,' Senator McKim said
Labor senator Doug Cameron has hit back arguing the opposition has worked constructively on the bill and claimed the Greens didn't have to be responsible because they will never form a government.

'Common sense and the Greens don't go together - should never be in the same sentence,' Senator Cameron said.

Much of the Green's criticism centres on the fact that with independents Tim Storer and Derryn Hinch and Centre Alliance's two senators opposed, Labor could have teamed up with the Greens to block the legislation