Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Siewert for her question. You are correct, Senator Siewert. This was explored by you in detail with the department at Senate estimates. To be fair to the department, you are merely paraphrasing part of their responses to you. In terms of the answer to your question, it is a very simple no. You and I will disagree, and that is fair enough, in relation to the commitment of those of us on this side of the government—and our commitment is to get people off welfare and into work. In that regard—and you know this well—we have made changes to the targeted compliance framework, and it is actually working. It is now simpler and easier for jobseekers not only to understand what they need to do but also take control of their own personal requirements. It is also providing protection for vulnerable jobseekers and those who will undertake deliberate and wilful noncompliance. Senator Siewert, you and I have debated this in previous parliaments. You know that we, as a government, have put in place safeguards to ensure jobseekers are not penalised for failing to meet mutual obligation requirements that are not appropriate to their circumstances. So, Senator Siewert, the answer to your question is no. On this side of the chamber we will do everything that we can to get people off welfare and into work, and the changes we have made to the targeted compliance framework are, indeed, doing that.