Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

Let me thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As I stated previously, the government has a lawful requirement to recover debts that Australians owe. For the benefit of the House, debts are raised either on income support—there are approximately 13 income support payments, and income compliance goes across eight of them—and then there are family benefit debts that also arise. Together, those debts equal $4.99 million.

To give the House an idea: with family tax benefit debts there are 373,712 outstanding at $1.3 billion. When it comes to Newstart there are 408,895 debts equalling $1.121 billion. Does the Leader of the Opposition seriously want the government to wipe $1.121 billion from 408,000 debts because the member doesn't believe in income compliance? Does the Leader of the Opposition really expect this House to believe that the member for McMahon, who held this—

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

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