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

Thank you very much, Senator Siewert. I acknowledge Senator Siewert's ongoing interest in this particular matter. As I mentioned in my response to Senator O'Neill when she asked me a similar question in relation to the recent improvements that we are proposing to implement in ensuring the fairness with which we approach making sure that the Australian social welfare system is sustainable, and as Senator Siewert would be well aware, one of the very fundamental tenets of our social welfare system is its ability to be sustainable. We have one of the most broad-ranging and comprehensive social welfare systems in the world, and part of that is to ensure that, of the over $110 billion that is spent annually on social welfare, people receive only that which they are entitled to—no more and no less.