Poverty and welfare advisory body to stay, but is it enough?

A parliamentary committee on Wednesday tabled its report into the creation of an independent Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee (EIAC), a body which came from industrial relations negotiations between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Senator Pocock.

The expert committee, currently led by former Labor minister Jenny Macklin, is set up to advise the government ahead of every federal budget on ways to boost economic inclusion and tackle disadvantage, such as the adequacy of Australia's income safety net. Committee members are academic experts, economists, representatives from advocacy organisations, unions, business sectors, and people who support economically disadvantaged people.

Earlier this year the committee urged the government to substantially lift JobSeeker payments as they were "seriously inadequate". The government did not follow that advice and anti-poverty campaigners later described the government's budget measure of an extra $40 a fortnight as "insulting" and "embarrassing".

The Labor majority committee, the senate standing committee on community affairs, put forward the one recommendation that the bill to establish a permanent committee be passed.

"The committee is of the view that the bill will enable the EIAC to be an effective mechanism that provides expert advice to government on economic inclusion and addressing disadvantage ahead of each Federal Budget," the committee, chaired by Labor Senator Marielle Smith, stated.

"It reflects the government's commitment to hear from experts, stakeholders and the community so they are considered in the design and development of policy. Consequently, the committee recommends that the bill be passed."

In response to concerns about independence and transparency from concerned groups at hearings, the the committee said it was of the view that the Australian Government "gives consideration" to publishing a ministerial response to the committee's findings on the Department of Social Services' website.

It also said the government should give consideration to "strengthening the desirability" for greater diversity of the membership by ensuring that at least one members is someone who has had direct experience of economic exclusion.

Senator Pocock has, in separate comments, asked for an extra 12 recommendations, including the request that the committee's report to be published at least 14 days before the federal budget is handed down.

He also wants to remove the ability for government ministers to direct the committee on what matters it can consider as part of its work, and require ministers to formally respond to the committee's recommendations within three months.

Coalition senators issued a dissenting report smashing the committee as "pointless", would not achieve its goals, and its key recommendations "will likely be ignored, as was the case for the interim committee's main recommendation last year."

They urged the bill not be passed.

The Greens want an independent anti-poverty commission, regarding the government's poverty-focused committee as not going far enough.