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

It says:

A new data matching initiative between Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office is expected to claw back millions of dollars from welfare recipients who have debts with the Australian Government.

Minister for Human Services Tanya Plibersek—

And the assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten—

said the new initiative will enhance Centrelink’s debt recovery ability and is expected to recover more than $71 million over four years.

Beginning on July 1 this year, Centrelink and the ATO will automatically match data on a daily basis as a way of cross-checking former welfare recipients who have a debt with the Commonwealth.

…   …   …

"But if people fail to come to an arrangement to settle their debts, the Government has a responsibility to taxpayers to recover that money."

Can I say to the former leader and deputy leader: We agree. We absolutely agree.' Can I say to the godfather and the godmother of income compliance from 2011, from the media release—and I'll table it, just for the efficacy and good memories of the Leader of the Opposition and the deputy leader—

Opposition members interjecting—

Income compliance data matching on a daily basis was started by those opposite, and now they seek to stop it in some faux degree of indignation that the income compliance love child of the godparents isn't what they'd hoped it to be. Well, we've got news for the opposition: what they began we will continue to move forward in the interests of the Australian taxpayer.

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