Youth dole wait bill passes lower house

The federal government's legislation imposing a four-week welfare waiting period for jobless youth under 25 has passed parliament's lower house.

The budget measure will also lower their rate of payment by pushing those aged 22 to 25 onto Youth Allowance rather than Newstart.

Labor decried the plan as unfair and punitive but the coalition argues it will prevent young people spending a life on Centrelink payments.