Income Support for those facing hardship

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Julia Gillard and Minister for Employment Participation Brendan O'Connor said from 1 July 2009, the Rudd Government will invest $4.2 million to change the asset test hardship rules to make it easier for people to access income support payments. The changes announced in the Budget increase the limit on the amount of readily available funds people can have when seeking to have an unrealisable asset disregarded. This measure is part of the Government's Jobs and Training Compact.