After trying to her stretch her JobSeeker payments amid a cost of living crisis, a Berkeley woman said she wasn't holding onto any hope for relief in the federal budget.
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Aeryn Brown, 38, receives fortnightly payments of $683, but after groceries, bills and medication, she only sees about $440 of it.
She said the budget should have raised income support payments at a fixed rate above the poverty line, to help almost a million people on JobSeeker.
"I'm angry at Labor for leaving us behind ... I'm not surprised though," Aeryn said, who is unable to work due to health conditions.
Aeryn budgets meticulously, and often has to make sacrifices in what she can afford, often missing out on fresh food - and her health has paid for it.
"In six months, I've had to increase my grocery bill by $50 a fortnight ... it was $200, now it's $250," she said.
"I have severe depression caused by my low income. When we had the full COVID supplement, it went into remission ... I wasn't depressed for the months I was above the poverty line."
The poverty line as of June this year for a single adult is at $616 per week, or $88 per day, according to the Henderson metric.
Prior to handing the budget down, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ruled out making increases to social security payments.
He labelled it as a "family friendly budget that leaves "no one behind". Aeryn begged to differ.
"They're leaving a million people on JobSeeker behind and we're sick of it," she said.
As per the budget, an extra $33 billion will go towards the pension and other welfare payments, with inflation largely responsible for growing welfare costs.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government needed to find billions in extra funding because welfare payments are pegged to inflation.
About a third of the amount would go to the aged pension and another third to JobSeeker payments, he said, to keep up with inflation which is expected to stay higher for longer than previously forecast.
Twice a year, welfare payments are indexed to consumer prices and must rise to help recipients keep up with the cost of living.
But last month's indexation increased JobSeeker for a single adult aged over 22 by four per cent, to $48 per day, according to government figures, while inflation rose by 6.1 per cent in the 12 months to June this year.
Payments will be examined again in March next year but with the Treasurer ensuring extra funds are ready, it is anticipated payments will lift.
According to a report by the Australian Council of Social Services, JobSeeker payments will need to be lifted to $73 per day to help Australians keep up with the rising cost of living.
ACOSS welcomed the government's investment in affordable housing, aged care, childcare and parental leave.
But it expressed deep concern over the "lack of action" in the budget to raise JobSeeker payments, and would like to see more measures to reduce inflation like putting a cap on gas prices.
"We remain deeply concerned for people who have the least and are in chronic financial distress," ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said.
"Instead of spending money on stage three tax cuts, we could lift incomes, including JobSeeker and disaster recovery payments, fund social housing, and adequately fund community services so they can help people when they need it most."
As of May this year, the number of Australians on unemployment benefits sits at about 935,300, higher than before the pandemic, according to a study by Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
