Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased that the parliamentary secretary has acknowledged that what the department has said in its submission to the Senate inquiry, referred to in paragraph 5.14 of the committee's report on this bill, is something the government stands by. I think that there is a logical conclusion, on a plain English interpretation, that there is some tension, if I can put it diplomatically, and inconsistency between what the department has said and the first paragraph of the addendum to the explanatory memorandum.

Having said that, I do have some other questions. In terms of the interaction between the compensation offsetting provisions and chapter 19 of the Guide to the Assessment of Rates of Veterans Pensions, fifth edition, which will not change under the proposed amendments, can the government confirm that that interaction, in a practical sense, will not be affected by schedule 2?