Stop flogging dead horse, Morrison told

Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has reintroduced unpopular measures making young people wait for the dole.

Australian Federal Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison. (AAP) Source: AAP

Scott Morrison is sticking to his promise to make young people wait for the dole.

The social services minister reintroduced to parliament on Wednesday legislation rejected by the Senate only a week ago that requires jobless Australians under 25 to wait one month for the dole.

Mr Morrison, who had vowed to keep fighting for the measure, said it would send the right message about choosing a life of work, not welfare.

It was the sort of plan Australia needed to intervene early in a welfare-dependent person's life.

"That's the point where we change the course of a life into work and not into welfare," he told parliament.

Mr Morrison hit back at claims there were no jobs for youth, saying work would flow once the China free-trade deal was in place.

It's the third time such measures have been put to parliament after the original plan to make young people wait six months for payments was abandoned earlier this year against a Senate backlash.

Labor said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should intervene and prove his promised new leadership style.

"Otherwise it is clear that nothing has changed," opposition families and payments spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert urged the government to "stop flogging a dead horse".

The bill also contains previous plans to push 22 to 24-year-olds onto the lower youth allowance, cutting their weekly payment by about $48.

The only change is the start date is delayed to July 1, 2016.


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Source: AAP


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