ALT The Antipoverty Centre has also reacted to the news that Jim Chalmers will be handing down his second surplus, particularly given the rate of Jobseeker and other associated payments won’t be raised. Antipoverty Centre spokesperson and Disability Support Pension recipient Kristin O’Connell said there was “no such thing as a ‘responsible budget’ that left people in poverty”. People in poverty are not the ones fuelling inflation, and helping us would not hurt the economy. The treasurer has already signalled he will be announcing inadequate and flawed measures such as energy payments and Commonwealth Rent Assistance that are ostensibly to help welfare recipients but in reality achieve little more than giving the government an unearned veneer of humanity. We and other community-led organisations have been clear about what we will assess Chalmers’ performance on tonight, and a surplus without meaningful support for people in poverty will give them a failing grade.