Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has defended the JobSeeker payment increase, which came under fire shortly after its announcement yesterday. 

It was confirmed yesterday the fortnightly payment would be increased by $50 a fortnight in response to outcry the previous $565 a fortnight was not a liveable sum.

But it’s argued the extra $3.50 per day will not alleviate the issue.

“JobSeeker is a safety net payment, as we know,” Ms Cash said to Neil Breen.  “It’s not a wage replacement.”

Ms Cash said “99 per cent of people” receiving the payments are mostly supplemented by other benefits.

“There’s around 20 supplementary payments that are targeted to people based on their individual circumstances.

“But certainly, as the Minister for Employment, my role … is to actually get people off that safety net payment and into work.”

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