← Back to bills❌This bill did not pass parliament10 Aug 2023
The bill was rejected or lapsed before becoming law.
🏛 House of Representatives3 readingsAmendments circulated
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Safety Net) 2023
✦ Plain-English Summary
# Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Safety Net) 2023
## What it does
This bill increases payments for people on working-age benefits like JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and Austudy, and boosts support for single parents and renters. It also extends eligibility for certain payments and improves support for Commonwealth Rent Assistance recipients.
## Why it matters
Millions of Australians rely on these payments to cover basic living costs. Higher payment rates mean real money in people's pockets for rent, food, and essentials — though the bill text doesn't specify the dollar amounts of increases here.
## Key details
- **Single parents**: The eligibility threshold for parenting payment increased from 8 years to 14 years — so single parents can now receive support until their youngest child is older (effective 20 September 2023)
- **Working-age recipients**: Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy, and Disability Support Pension payments all receive increases, plus changes to parenting payment for partnered couples
- **Came into effect immediately**: The law took effect as soon as it received Royal Assent, with the single parent changes backdated to 20 September 2023
Official Description
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: expand qualification for parenting payment (single) to single principal carers whose youngest child is aged under 14 years; increase the rates of certain working age and student payments, including jobseeker payment, youth allowance, parenting payment (partnered), austudy payment and disability support pension (youth), by $40 per fortnight; expand eligibility for the higher rate of jobseeker payment to recipients aged 55 years and over who have been on the payment for 9 or more continuous months; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 , Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to increase the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance by 15 per cent.
Committee Referrals
Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Audit History
Last updated on APH
10 Apr 2026
Last checked by Crossbench
yesterday
Full text indexed
yesterday
How Parliament Voted
Senate26 Mar 2024
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
Constituent votes
Voting is closed — this bill has been decided by parliament.
No votes yet.
No votes were recorded for this bill.
🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament