Pauline Hanson backs Government's proposed four-week wait for the dole

Extract from ABC News

 

By political reporter Caitlyn Gribbin

Posted about 3 hours ago

Photo: Pauline Hanson said the legislation would "definitely" get her party's vote. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)

Related Story: Senate rejects four-week wait for dole

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One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson says her party will support a change that would see unemployed people aged under 25 wait four weeks before being eligible for the dole.

Senator Hanson said the Federal Government's legislation, which would save the budget $173 million, would "definitely" get her party's vote.
"I think it's very wise to actually have a wait period," Senator Hanson said.
"Kids who leave school, or young adults, they can leave school at 15 years of age and I think if they see this golden egg there and [think] we can receive this money, I don't think it's an incentive for kids to get out and go to work."
The Senate blocked the legislation in the last term of Parliament, but the Government now has a chance to get it through if it secures support from key crossbenchers including those from One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT).
NXT is yet to decide whether to vote in favour of the bill, and leader Nick Xenophon said he had not sat down with his colleagues to make a final call.
Treasurer Scott Morrison is optimistic he can win over key crossbench senators to support the cuts.
"We've had very good meetings with Pauline Hanson on those measures," Mr Morrison said.
Labor and the Greens have vowed to oppose the legislation.
The Government's original plan was to enforce a six-month wait, but that was revised down to one month.

Four weeks not long enough, Hanson says

Senator Hanson said that while she would vote in support of the Government's current proposal, it does not go far enough.
"Personally myself, I don't think it's long enough, but I'd be open to hear what the people feel about it," Senator Hanson said.

"The fact is you can't just think you're going to get up and leave school possibly at 15 years of age or 16 and think: 'Oh wow I'm going to go straight onto the dole'.

"That is not good enough."
Senator Hanson said she had spoken to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Morrison about welfare reform and raised her party's push for the introduction of a National Identity Card for Australians who access taxpayer-funded services.
She said Mr Turnbull was "interested in it and took note of it".
Senator Hanson said she was yet to decide whether to support the Government's key pieces of industrial relations legislation, including a bill to re-establish the construction industry watchdog.