Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to speak in this debate about the disallowance of five regulations relating to income management. The federal Labor government is driving major reforms to support vulnerable and disadvantaged people as they balance their budgets, go back to work and give their children the best possible start in life. I am sure everyone here would agree that it is neither fair nor acceptable for children to grow up in a family where no-one has ever worked.

This trial is a new approach balancing new responsibilities with new opportunities. Since 1 July 2012 income management has been operating in Playford in South Australia in addition to four other trial locations around the country: Logan and Rockhampton in Queensland; Greater Shepparton in Victoria; and Bankstown in New South Wales. There are already more than 100 people participating in income management across these five sites; most of these are volunteers.

Income management helps families ensure their welfare payments are spent in the best interests of their children. It ensures that money is available for life essentials and provides a tool to stabilise people's circumstances and ease immediate financial stress.

We have heard people argue about rights. It is all well and good to make sweeping philosophical statements in the abstract, but I remind people to remember the rights of children—to a decent meal, to decent clothes for school, to feel safe and provided for and to go to school. This is about making sure that kids get the best start in life. It is not about taking away rights; it is about helping people to stabilise their circumstances.

It is also important to remember that income management is only one part of a suite of measures our government is using to help support vulnerable people. As part of our government's plan we are also investing $13.6 million over five years to deliver financial management program services to assist vulnerable individuals and families in the five income management place-based locations.

Our party is about a pragmatic and evidence based policy that seeks to help the vulnerable and the disadvantaged. The evidence we are already seeing is that income management works. More than 1,200 are now participating in income management in Western Australia. More than 1,000 of these people have volunteered to become part of income management. More than 200 people were referred to income management by child protection authorities. An evaluation of people participating in the trial in Western Australia found most respondents said that income management had improved their lives and those of their families. A recent news story reporting on income management interviewed a mum in Western Australia named Karen. Karen is currently participating in income management, and in her interview she commented: 'It's got me out of debt. I've actually got money in the kitty that I'm saving up.'

I urge the Senate not to support these disallowance motions.