High-profile independents vying for a place in the next parliament have vowed to push for an increase to the jobseeker payment after Labor dumped plans to review the benefit.
In a move that angered welfare groups, Labor on Tuesday confirmed it would not commit to lifting the payment – currently at a base rate of $46 a day – and had ditched an independent review proposed in 2019, citing budget constraints.
But several independents – including current MPs and first-time “teal” candidates campaigning on climate and integrity – argue the payment is inadequate and must be addressed in the next parliament.
They have joined the Greens who have pledged to lift all payments to the Henderson poverty line of $88 a day.
Zoe Daniel, the former ABC journalist taking on Liberal MP Tim Wilson in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein, said she backed an initial call from welfare groups for a $150-a-fortnight increase to the payment.
The Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss) now calls for a more generous increase – lifting jobseeker to the pension rate of $70 a day. That’s a rise of more than $330 a fortnight.
“If elected I will take further expert advice on the dollar amount, but on the face of it I believe an increase of $75 per week in jobseeker to be overdue and justified on both equity and economic grounds,” Daniel said.
Daniel said top economist Chris Richardson had found an increase would “not only lift jobseeker recipients out of dire poverty, but would grow the economy and create additional jobs”.
“Should the parliament be in a state of minority government after the election, the men vying to be prime minister would be well aware of my position on this issue,” she said.
Kylea Tink, who is running against moderate Liberal Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney, said the current rate of jobseeker forced “people to subsist below the poverty level, so I do believe there’s a reasonable argument it should be increased”. She did not give a specific figure.
Zali Steggall and Rebekha Sharkie, who both represent traditionally Liberal-voting seats, also backed an increase to the payment, as did Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie.
Labor’s decision to ditch any commitment over jobseeker was met with dismay on Monday. The Antipoverty Centre labelled it a “devastating blow” while Acoss chief executive, Cassandra Goldie, questioned how anyone could “claim to care about the cost of living without addressing the inadequacy of jobseeker”.
Meanwhile the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, claimed Labor had made a “heartbreaking move to the right” by refusing to lift income support payments.
The Greens’ policy launched last month would see all welfare payments increased to a base rate of $88 a day, with taper rates and conditions, costing $88bn over the forward estimates.
Steggall told Guardian Australia she believed the payment should be lifted to “at least $60 a day”, or $840 a fortnight, up from the current rate of $642.70 for a single person with no children.
“People with less money are more likely to spend it to buy food, pay rent, care for their health and buy other essential items; it boosts the economy because they spend every dollar,” she said.
Steggall said the government was “way off the mark of advice” from the Business Council, Acoss and Deloitte Access Economics.
Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie told Guardian Australia on Wednesday she also supported the earlier Acoss pledge to lift the payment by $150 a fortnight, which Deloitte estimated in 2018 would cost about $3.3bn a year.
“We did have an increase in the last parliament, but let’s be honest, it was inadequate,” Sharkie said, referring to the Morrison government’s $50 a fortnight increase in April 2021.
Sharkie also wanted an increase to commonwealth rent assistance, and supported an independent review of the adequacy of welfare payments in general.
Rents had risen “astronomically” and a rent assistance boost would also help those on the age or disability pension and parenting payments, she said.
Sharkie also called for single parents to be able to claim parenting payment until their child turned 12, up from the current age of eight.
“That is a very real and tangible way we can address poverty in single-parent households,” she said.
Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, who holds the seat of Clark, said he had long campaigned for jobseeker to be “increased to an amount above the poverty line” and would “take every opportunity” to push for an increase.
Queensland MP Bob Katter, who represents Kennedy, also said he’d back an increase to jobseeker, but only if a “proper” work for the dole program was created. A work for the dole program already exists, though it has been labelled punitive and ineffective by critics.
Asked about Labor’s backdown on Wednedsay, Anthony Albanese noted he’d grown up with a single mother on a disability pension and knew those on benefits did it tough.
He said a future Labor government would look at payment rates at every budget, but was constrained by the need to be “fiscally responsible”, citing debt levels.
The Coalition also has no plans to further increase the payment.
Wentworth hopeful Allegra Spender, who is challenging Liberal MP Dave Sharma in the eastern Sydney seat, did not respond by deadline.
Indi MP Helen Haines has previously supported an increase but declined to comment, while Kooyong hopeful Monique Ryan, who is taking on the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, declined to give a view on the rate.
