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The latest Newspoll has delivered good news for federal Labor and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Labor's primary vote has lifted a point to 39 per cent while the Coalition remains unchanged on 35 per cent, according to the final Newspoll survey for the year.

Mr Albanese also enjoyed a surge in support as preferred prime minister, the poll conducted for The Australian newspaper shows.

The result for Labor is is more than six points stronger than its election result of 32.6 per cent, while the Coalition's result is almost a point down on its election tally of 35.7 per cent.

The two-party-preferred split between the major parties was unchanged at 55-45 per cent in Labor's favour.

The Greens were unchanged with a primary vote of 11 per cent, Pauline Hanson's One Nation was on 6 per cent while Clive Palmers's deregistered United Australia Party attracted just 1 per cent.

Other minor parties, including the teal independents, dropped one point to 8 per cent, the Newspoll showed.

Satisfaction with Mr Albanese's performance rose to a record high with a three-point gain to 62 per cent, while those saying they were dissatisfied fell four points to 29 per cent.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton suffered a three-point decline in his satisfaction ratings to 36 per cent but those dissatisfied with his performance dropped from 46 per cent to 45 per cent.

The December Newspoll was conducted between Wednesday and Saturday and interviewed 1508 voters throughout Australia.

© AAP 2022

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Around one million young people, carers and students will have their welfare payments boosted by up to $20 a week at the start of next year.

The payments will indexed by just over six per cent, with the increases to start on January 1.

Youth allowance will increase by between $19.10 and $41.40 a fortnight while people on Austudy will receive between $32.40 and $41.40 more each fortnight.

People on the disability support pension aged under 21 and without children will receive between $27.40 and $40.70 a fortnight.

The rates for ABSTUDY, isolated children assistance, mobility allowance, double orphan pension, carer allowance and pharmaceutical allowance will also increase.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the increases would help ease the rising cost of living pressures.

"This will have a significant impact on the hip pockets of young people she said.

"Income free areas for student income support recipients will also benefit from indexation, meaning they are able to earn more before their payment is impacted."

© AAP 2022

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Personal tales of tragedy will be heard when the robodebt royal commission resumes for its second block of hearings.

As the hearings shift to focus on what impact the illegal scheme had on individuals, personal case study witnesses will give evidence of what it did to them.

Robodebt was initiated under the former Liberal-National government and falsely accused welfare recipients of owing money.

Automated debt notices were issued by a process called income averaging, which compared people's reported income with tax office figures.

The commission is investigating how the scheme, which operated between 2015 and 2020, went ahead despite government departments knowing the debt calculation method was unlawful.

Jason McNamara, who worked in the debt division for Services Australia throughout the scheme, will present evidence on Monday while former Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell will be questioned on Wednesday.

The hearings will roll on next week when former prime minister Scott Morrison fronts the commission on December 14, having been the social services minister and treasurer at the time the robodebt scheme was in operation.

Previous sessions have heard Mr Morrison may not have been told about legal advice that should have stopped the scheme from going ahead.

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A host of former Morrison government ministers are likely to be called before the robodebt royal commission.

While the social services and human services ministers at the time the illegal scheme was established - Scott Morrison and Marise Payne respectively - are already scheduled to front hearings next week, senior counsel assisting the commission Justin Greggery KC said the inquiry's scope would widen.

It means former human services ministers Stuart Robert, Alan Tudge and Michael Keenan and former social services ministers Christian Porter, Dan Tehan and Paul Fletcher could be in the firing line.

Mr Gregg said the ministers would be called in a subsequent hearing block. The next block of public hearings are set for January 23 to February 3.

Ms Payne will give evidence next Tuesday before Mr Morrison takes the stand on Wednesday.

"The evidence they are likely to give, like much of the evidence given in the first public hearing, is anticipated to be information which was not in the public domain prior to the commencement of this commission," Mr Gregerry told the commission.

"Their evidence should complete the body of evidence in respect of budget matters, policy and legal considerations in 2015."

Robodebt was initiated under the former Liberal-National government and falsely accused welfare recipients of owing money.

Automated debt notices were issued by a process called income averaging, which compared people's reported income with tax office figures.

The commission is investigating how the scheme, which operated between 2015 and 2020, went ahead despite government departments knowing the debt calculation method was unlawful.

Services Australia's Jason McNamara, who worked in the debt division during the scheme, is presenting evidence on Monday.

The royal commission continues.

© AAP 2022