Stuart Henry (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Human Services. Would the minister inform the House how family assistance offices are delivering better services to the people of Australia, particularly in my electorate of Hasluck?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to recognise the member for Hasluck as the best member for Hasluck ever.

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And you are the best Minister for Human Services ever!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a very good endorsement—thank you, Treasurer! The Howard government distributes over $50,000 a minute to Australian families, particularly through Centrelink and Medicare offices. That includes $15 billion in family tax benefit, $6 billion in parenting payments, $1.6 billion in childcare benefit and, of course, the $1 billion in the baby bonus—to 250,000 newborn Australians receiving $4,000 each.

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One for the country!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One for the country, and that is very important. That is children, not wives! That, of course, does not include carer payments, the Medicare safety net or the childcare tax rebate. They are all in addition to the $50,000 a minute that we distribute.

We want to make it more convenient for Australian families to access these sorts of services. That is why, over the last 16 months in Human Services, we have turned 238 Medicare offices into family assistance offices as well. In the 16 months since we introduced this initiative, 350,000 Australian families have accessed family services through Medicare offices. I might add that in the electorate of Hasluck, for example, there are two Centrelink offices—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler is warned!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

in Gosnells and Midland, which are servicing 20,000 Centrelink customers in the electorate. The Medicare office in Midland shopping centre is servicing 168,000 customer visits a year. Now that Medicare office is distributing family payments to the benefit of the people of Hasluck. This again proves, at $50,000 a minute, that the Howard government is the most family-friendly government in Australian political history.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.