The rules around who can get the coronavirus wage subsidies and extra welfare are discriminatory and may breach human rights, a coalition-led committee has found.
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The parliamentary human rights committee, chaired by Liberal senator Sarah Henderson, has also slammed the government for failing to provide statements of compatibility with rights for a range of its emergency coronavirus measures.
These include the bar on cruise ships docking in Australia, the ban on all Australians travelling overseas, restrictions on people going to remote communities, quarantine accommodation at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory, Christmas Island and a Sydney hotel, and a freeze on public service pay.
Its report, released on Wednesday, says the JobKeeper wage subsidy is discriminatory because only Australians, New Zealanders and permanent residents are eligible.
Temporary visa holders - including skilled workers, foreign students and people waiting for permanent partner visas - have been told to dig into their savings or consider returning to their home country.
The committee says the legislation does not explain why these workers should be treated differently.
"It is not clear that supporting a unique travel arrangement and bilateral relationship between Australia and New Zealand constitutes a legitimate objective for treating citizens from other countries differently," Senator Henderson writes in the report.
It also examined the $550 fortnightly coronavirus supplement that effectively doubles the dole and adds to other welfare payments.
The committee says it is problematic that people on disability support or aged pensions cannot get this payment.
It found the rights compatibility statement says the measure supports the convention on rights of people with disability.
"However, it is not clear how the measure supports the rights of persons with disabilities when it does not appear to apply to those receiving the Disability Support Pension," Senator Henderson says.
The committee is demanding Attorney-General Christian Porter explain how a move to slash the consultation period for changes to enterprise agreements is compatible with the rights of freedom of association and workplace conditions.
The time frame has been cut from seven days to one.
The committee says it is not clear a single day is sufficient for workers to review and consider how to vote on changes to their pay and conditions.
As well, it says that one day could be a weekend or public holiday and would not give workers time to discuss the employer's proposals with colleagues or their union.
Australian Associated Press
