I’ve been on dole, don’t delay payments, says Ricky Muir

    The Australian
    October 23, 2014 12:00AM


CROSSBENCH senator Ricky Muir, who once worked for the dole, remains unconvinced about several key budget measures, inclu­ding a waiting period for unemployment benefits, the GP co-payment and de­reg­ulation of universities.

The Australian Motoring Enthu­siast Party senator, who has a critical vote, said because he came from a low socio-economic background he remained concerned about the proposed $7 GP co-payment as well as the impact of budget initiatives on low- to middle-income earners.          

Senator Muir, who said he had spent time before entering politics working for the dole, said he did not believe there should be any waiting period before accessing unemployment benefits.          

“Putting people who already have no money in a poverty-type situation by giving them no money is probably going to be very anti-productive,’’ he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

The Victorian also remained lukewarm on the government’s proposed university reforms, saying he had concerns about the impact on regional and rural students: “I wouldn’t necessarily come out with a position at the moment but I do have a lot of concern around deregulation.’’

Senator Muir said he supported an emissions trading scheme when the rest of the world was ready to price carbon and said he was keeping an open mind on the government’s Direct Action plan.

He also said that being in the Senate was a “very good job’’, exciting and a tremendous honour. Senator Muir experienced a rocky initiation to politics after being catapulted into the Senate with just 0.51 per cent of formal first-preference votes in Victoria.

He is in a voting alliance with the Palmer United Party. His vote is crucial to the government to pass its legislation when the Greens and Labor withhold support.

“I’m in potentially a powerful position from time to time, so everybody wants to be my best friend,’’ Senator Muir said.