News by Benjamin Graham 12th May 2021 5:12 AM The government claims it is "strengthening Australia's safety net" by increasing the JobSeeker payment for almost two million Australians - while increasing their obligations and giving them "intensive activity" to do after six months of unemployment. Tuesday's federal budget today states that the government will provide $9.5 billion over the next five years to increase support for people eligible for working-age payments including JobSeeker. For Australians struggling to find work, this means an increase in the base rate of working-age payments by $50 per fortnight from April 1 this year. The increase is expected to benefit 1.9 million Australians, and it applies to people on the Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment, Austudy, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Partner Allowance, Widow Allowance, Special Benefit and Farm Household Allowance.