Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much. I can confirm that the online compliance initiative does not go back past seven years. But in response to the question from Senator Smith, as I was saying, when a discrepancy has been identified between the information that an individual or a family has provided to the Department of Human Services and the ATO, we seek clarification from the individual as to whether there is a reason why that discrepancy exists. We do not raise a debt unless it has been formally identified in that process that the person has actually incurred a debt or has received moneys of which they weren't entitled. The very reason that we do this is the social welfare system in Australia is based on its sustainability, into the future, and that means that we make sure that people get what they are entitled to receive.