Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I indicate that Labor will also be supporting the amendments, although I am a bit concerned about the unholy alliance that has developed over these amendments! My first reaction was to vote against them purely on that basis. If Senator Kemp agrees with you, Senator Siewert, you have obviously made a huge error! But they are useful additions. Our second reading amendment, which was defeated, went to the same sorts of concerns about measuring the impact of the changes as well as the SSAT issues. We think they are helpful.

We still have very serious concerns about what will happen to the losers out of the formula when the measures are implemented on 1 July 2008. I still think that is the primary issue. We will continue to campaign to make the government focus on those issues. Hopefully, those issues will be for a Labor government to address. But whoever is in power at that time will have to focus very much on the impact of these changes on individuals. There will be losers, and we have to ensure that whatever is implemented protects the interests of children at that time.

While it is a fact that we cannot predict outcomes, because each individual family will have an individual outcome, Professor Parkinson has identified the fact that there will be families who will receive less income as a result of these changes. There are a whole range of positive changes, including compliance, but there will be losers, and they will be in families caring for children. We have chosen not to oppose the bill, but we remain deeply concerned about those issues. We will continue to press for proper consideration of them and for a proper government response in dealing with those who will be worse off under the formula. The amendments moved by Senator Siewert are helpful, and Labor will be supporting them.

Question agreed to.