George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Through you, Mr President—Senator Cameron, we believe that the system is working. I am explaining to you how the system is working and why it is important that we should have a system of data matching so that when a person declares their income to the ATO that is an obvious piece of data and when a person makes a declaration to Centrelink that is an obvious piece of data.

The inquiry covers the same issue—that is, their income—and, if on the matching of that data there is apparently a discrepancy, that discrepancy needs to be explained, and the person who is the welfare recipient is given an opportunity to explain it. Senator Cameron, we know that you and the Labor Party think that money grows on trees. That is at the heart of the Labor Party's DNA—the belief that money grows on trees—but, on our side of the chamber, we believe that if we are going to have a generous welfare system, people should not be paid what they are not entitled to. (Time expired)