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

I think Senator Siewert is reading too much into the statistics. At no time have I said the six per cent reflected somebody applying for some sort of change in circumstances. As I said, these statistics were there simply in a broad sense to supply a differential between 2005 and 2006, and January to April. But the statistics do not go towards whether these were people who particularly applied under those guidelines. These are fairly raw indications of the change we have had in those people who were receiving an instalment against those receiving a one-off payment. As I said, I think Senator Siewert is reading far more into the statistics. The statistics do not provide that there was any application made by somebody who wished to have a change of their circumstances.