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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm more than happy to. In terms of other questions asked, the member for Capricornia asked a question about 1800RESPECT, which is delivered by Medibank. It is a national telephone and online counselling and support service for people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence and their family and friends. The free service operates 24/7 and provides intake, crisis response, triage, information, referral, general counselling and specialist counselling services to users across Australia. It answers on average 6,000 contacts a week, which is superb. We that know there is increased demand. That's why the government has for first time funded 1800RESPECT on an ongoing basis through the budget. It has also allocated $5.9 million out of the $150 million domestic violence support package to 1800RESPECT to meet potential increases in demand. This continued funding ensures that the service can be responsive, noting that coronavirus has changed the way that people engage with this service. We also know that people fleeing violence at home can find it difficult to reach out through traditional services; hence, 1800RESPECT can be contacted over the phone or through a 24-hour online chat function. This means that more people know that a service is out there to help them and that more people can seek support from the service.

With regard to questions from the minister to my left regarding the cashless debit card budget, we have provided certainty through the budget process for cashless debit card participants by continuing it as an ongoing measure in existing sites as well as in the Northern Territory and Cape York, Queensland, following the transition to income management in those regions. The continuation of the cashless debit card in established sites is a direct response to calls from community leaders asking that we deliver certainty to their communities by making the program an ongoing program. It will sustain the positive impacts and effectiveness of the cashless debit card, and it signals the government's commitment to the future of the cashless debit card with financial institutions. The bottom line is that the cashless debit card is working. The call-out by the community leaders for us to extend it is demonstrative of that. Leaders in these communities are seeing positive results and are supportive of the program. Many participants are reporting the positive impact that the cashless debit card has had on themselves and their families.

A question was also asked about paid parental leave and benefits to dads and partners. Earlier this year the government passed legislation to provide new mums with increased flexibility and new fathers more access to the paid parental leave entitlement. Previously new mums were required to take the full 18 weeks as a block in the first year after their baby was born. Under the change, only 12 weeks must be taken in the first year, and the remaining six weeks can be used flexibly at any time within two years of the birth or adoption in blocks as small as one day at a time. It also allows mums to transfer those six weeks to their partner if they wish. This is important, especially with changing social norms around sharing care for children and encouraging blokes to take parental leave. We know all families are not the same—and that's great—so I'm looking forward to seeing the results of these changes.

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