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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luke Henriques-Gomes Social affairs and inequality editor

Key independents say they will push next Australian government to lift jobseeker payment

Independent candidate for Goldstein Zoe Daniel
Zoe Daniel, who is challenging Liberal MP Tim Wilson in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein, said she supported lifting jobseeker payments by $150 a fortnight. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

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.

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