Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly had no intention of misrepresenting the senator, and I withdraw any remarks that she may have taken to be that. I reiterate: it is this government’s intention to provide the baby bonus as a lump sum to all those, except those either by demographic or as individuals, who we have identified as vulnerable. That is our policy on this matter, and it reflects community concerns about this matter. By demographic, we consider those individuals under 18 to be vulnerable in a general sense. Yes, there may be individuals outside of that, but we have decided that, as a demographic, this is the safest approach and we believe it will be supported.

The way we consider the matter of other people who are having a lump sum payment and who are considered vulnerable is that, as a part of the lump sum payment, everyone who applies for the lump sum payment understands that they have access to a counsellor. Through that counselling process a number of things can happen, particularly a recommendation from a counsellor that they have instalment payments—or in fact it could be by choice. You may choose to say: ‘I may be in a position where I would prefer to have instalments rather than lump sum payments. You may make those payments.’ The clear answer is no, we will not be providing in this legislation for particular exemptions for people who may be in a vulnerable demographic. I am not sure how it is being proposed that we assess people who are not; I would suggest that it is probably not through a counsellor. We are not providing that because we believe that generally, as an age demographic, it is quite reasonable that that would be the case. As I have said, this is a lump sum payment. That is our clear intention and it is simply done by exemption on vulnerability.