Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews is sweating it out in regional New South Wales raising money for Carers Australia in the annual Pollie Pedal bike ride.
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But while Carers Australia will be the ''chief beneficiary'' of the charity event, gaining $750,00, it has not stopped the organisation panning Mr Andrews' controversial budget plans.
In its submission to a Senate committee examining the social services budget measures, Carers Australia have warned that policies such as reviews for Disability Support Pension recipients, the lowering of pension indexation and the six-month wait for the dole, ''do not seem to take adequate account of the great economic and psychological hardship which will be imposed on the poorest Australians''.
In particular, Carers Australia says the plan to review DSP recipients who are under 35 and were granted the pension between 2008 and 2011 is ''crude targeting'' that ''makes little sense to us''.
It describes the plan to link pension increases to the lower rate of inflation, instead of wages growth, from September 2017 as inadequate, and adds that the idea of making young people wait six months for the dole will not work.
''The relationship between removing job seekers' access to income support and improving the likelihood that they will transition into work is highly contentious,'' Carers Australia says.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott started the annual Pollie Pedal ride in 1998. This year, for the first time, he is missing the event due to his travels in Europe, dealing with the MH17 disaster and the situation in Iraq.
Mr Andrews, an experienced rider, is leading the pedal on behalf of Mr Abbott and on Wednesday, cycled from Gunnedah to Coonabarabran.
Wearing lycra emblazoned with the Carers Australia logo, Mr Andrews and other MPs, including Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and Assistant Employment Minister Luke Hartsuyker are set to raise about $750,000 for Carers Australia.
The week-long ride began in Moree last Saturday and will finish, more than 1000 kilometres later, in Penrith on Sunday.
Mr Andrews said the government acknowledged the ''valuable work that carers do in the community''.
''Pollie pedal is a great opportunity to not only to raise money but to raise awareness and support this cause,'' he said.
The Senate's Community Affairs Committee is inquiring into the Coalition's social services budget measures. It will hold public hearings next week and is due to report back on September 4.
