Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer to reports on the weekend that the government's plan to leave young people with nothing to live on for six months was 'not the brainchild of Social Services minister Kevin Andrews'. Is the minister running away from the government's policy to leave young people with nothing to live on?

Mr Danby interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has the call and the member for Melbourne Ports is warned.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I could say to the honourable member opposite that she should not believe everything she reads because this is a very good policy.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga has asked a question. The minister has the call.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the member opposite is asserting that a person who is capable of working full time, who has no parenting duties, who is not a disadvantaged job seeker should be on welfare rather than work, then we disagree. We disagree because we believe that young people under the age of 30 who are capable of working full time should be earning or learning. That is what they should be doing. Just as the Prime Minister explained before, that is the policy of this government. What is wrong with that?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order as to direct relevance. The question goes to whose idea it was.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. The minister has the call.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the government's policy. I am reminded about the policies of the member opposite. She was up here complaining about a report before. She had no qualms about pushing 80,000 single parents off their payments—no qualms about doing that whatsoever. She had no qualms whatsoever in trying to abolish the carers bonus—no qualms about doing that whatsoever. What hypocrisy coming from the members opposite! The big difference was that, of course, at that stage we did not have a government; we had kindergarten capers. We had the Leader of the Opposition wanting to be the class captain—Julia. We had, of course, Kevin, who wanted all the attention. We had Pete playing with the pink batts. We had Bill out in the sandpit being the class bully.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And, of course, Wayne is laughing. He was scribbling on the walls and tearing up the maths books.

Mr Burke interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. And, Minister, you certainly have finished because you were completely in breach of the standing orders in the last part of your question, and you know it. The minister will resume his seat.