Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, Centrelink's automated data-matching system is now terrorising pensioners, this time with demonic algorithms bombarding the elderly with reams of threatening and confusing correspondence. Increasingly, I'm hearing from constituents hit with automation of income stream system reviews—for instance, an 89-year-old woman who received a letter ordering her online to provide the government with information lest her pension be cut off. Another did indeed have her payment cancelled due to an error that would have been obvious to the human eye. Prime Minister, surely the government, if not the minister, learned its lesson from the robodebt scandal? In that case, will you immediately order a halt to this latest robomonster?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last financial year, the taxpayers of this country provided almost $200 billion of support in social security and welfare payments in this country. Australia has one of the most effective and successful social safety nets, and that's something I think every member of this House should be very proud of. This year that figure will be significantly higher as a result of the significant additional supports which the government has provided to support Australians, including age pensioners and many other welfare recipients, through the course of this crisis. Indeed, there are the two additional $250 payments which are being made this year which followed the earlier $750 payments which were being made to pensioners, in particular, as well as other welfare recipients. Of that $200 billion—and that will be more this year and will continue to rise in the future—some $70 billion or more is provided through the age pension. This is an important social support in this country, and all Australians should receive the support through that system that the system is designed to provide to them.

Mr Wilkie interjecting—

I'm coming to your issue.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Clark is entitled to rise on a point of order.

Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's obviously on relevance. This question goes to the latest data-matching automated system—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will just say to the member for Clark that I'm aware of that and there was a very specific question, but it followed about 35 seconds of preamble. The Prime Minister is entitled to give some context, which he has been doing, before he comes to the answer.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's important for the millions of Australian taxpayers that we run our system to ensure that the benefits that the system is designed to provide to them are provided appropriately. That includes ensuring that if their income is different and they're entitled to greater support we're aware of that as well in order to make adjustments to their payments. That is doing the right thing by taxpayers and that is doing the right thing by welfare recipients.

Services Australia require information about income streams held by payment recipients to calculate their payment entitlements under the social security income and assets test. That is their job. I'm aware of the letter you referred to. I asked for a copy of that letter recently. It provides the opportunity for people to call a number—132300—to clarify any of these issues. What I would simply ask people to do, if they have received such a letter, is to simply contact that number or go online, as the letter suggests, and provide the information they that have been asked for. That should lead to the ready resolution of those issues.

It is an important responsibility of the government to ensure that the more than $200 billion in taxpayers' funds that is provided each year, and that amount is growing each year, is administered appropriately. People should get every cent that they're entitled to. They shouldn't get a cent less and they shouldn't get a cent more. And this is a difficult topic for the department of Services Australia to administer, and they do so very professionally. I would encourage all members to encourage their constituents to comply and respond, as they've been asked to do, to assist the department with their inquiries.