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

Thank you very much, Senator Davey, for your question and your ongoing interest in managing our social security system. We are absolutely committed to making sure that our social security system is accurate, fair and simple for the people who need it. As part of this commitment, the government is introducing legislation that will be making it simpler for welfare recipients who report their income to do so and will improve the accuracy of the payment system.

At the moment, 1.2 million Australians will report that they earned income other than the money that they receive through their income support payments. Those 1.2 million people are required to report that to the Department of Social Services every fortnight. Currently, they have to undertake quite a complex calculation to report their partner's or their own income over that fortnight.