Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has backed calls to raise Newstart, suggesting people on unemployment benefits would be forced to sell drugs to make extra money.
Mr Joyce said the current payment of $550 a fortnight for single, childless recipients is not enough to live on, urging his party's Coalition partners to lift the allowance.
"I want to make sure that people try and get a job and I want to make sure we're not encouraging people to do things that are illegal," he said.
