Four federal Labor MPs have joined more than 340 signatories from across the political divide to lend their name to an open letter calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to raise JobSeeker by about $20 a day.
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A host of sitting and former MPs, academics, business, union leaders and community advocates have signed the open letter coordinated by the Australian Council of Social Services, ahead of next month's federal budget.
"Even before the cost-of-living crisis, income support payments weren't nearly enough to cover basic expenses, but now people struggling to get by on $50 a day face increased deprivation," the letter says.
The growing list of signatories include Canberra Labor MP Alicia Payne and her party colleagues Michelle Ananda-Rajah, Kate Thwaites and Louise Miller-Frost who are imploring their own party leader to adopt the recommendations from an Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee to substantially increase JobSeeker and Youth Allowance.
Political support is also coming from Tasmanian Liberal Bridget Archer and independents such as senators David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe, as well as former Liberal leader John Hewson.
Other prominent names include Voice referendum working group members Megan Davis and Pat Turner, refugee campaigner Craig Foster and business leader David Thodey.
The government-appointed committee's report highlighted these payments were "inadequate" compared with the minimum wage and should be increased as a matter of priority.
The Albanese government established the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee last year after an agreement with ACT independent Senator Pocock to provide independent advice before every federal budget on economic inclusion and tackling disadvantage, such as reducing barriers to work, social security and employment services.
JobSeeker sits at $49.50 per day for a single person but the recommendation calls for it to be lifted to $68.40 per day.
Ms Payne, who has been an outspoken supporter for lifting unemployment payments also co-chairs a newly formed group Parliamentary Friends of Ending Poverty, alongside Bridget Archer.
The former social policy researcher said she had been campaigning for higher rates for the past 20 years.
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"I've made my views clear that I believe that this is something we should be doing. I understand that there are a lot of priorities and a lot of tough decisions that need to be made in this budget," Ms Payne told the Canberra Times.
"But social security should be seen as one of these priorities alongside aged care, Medicare, these are all important things.
"The fact that we have almost a million Australians trying to get by on this inadequate payment should be a major priority for government."
Senator Pocock said the hundreds of signatures on the open letter were proof of the "widespread support" for a "kinder Parliament".
"There will always be pressure on the budget but this isn't a can the government can kick down the road forever," Senator Pocock said.
"For too long this challenge has been acknowledged but not acted upon. The community will is there, all we need now is the political courage."
Ms Payne said social security had been an integral part of the Australian system as one of the first countries to introduce a universal aged pension.
"And this has been a really key part of what has made Australia a relatively egalitarian society, that we've got a safety net there for people that need it," she said.
"But we don't take the pride in this as a nation that we do in say, Medicare or public education and I think we need to change that conversation nationally."
