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

First of all, can I reassure you that we are already doing user testing with recipients in relation to both the changeover to reporting payments, as opposed to earnings, as well as testing how we can then subsequently interface with Single Touch Payroll. Clearly, for this to work, adequate resources need to be made available to recipients so that they can get access to the information that they need during that transition period so they feel comfortable.

The design of the form is currently underway and has taken into account the information that we were just discussing about making sure that there are pop-ups on the screen. So that people understand: the obligation still remains on the individual to provide the information. The individual can't get into trouble for providing wrong information; all it would mean is that the information they've provided was incorrect and would have to be corrected within a period of time—much as it is now when people under or overestimate what their earnings have been in a previous fortnight and then they find, when they actually get their pay packet, that it was different to what they had put on their form. So the obligation still remains with the individual to provide that information.

But I can assure you that the suite of communications, support and information that will be provided to recipients who earn income and who are on income support payments will be extensive but will be informed by the process of consultation and user testing that is currently being undertaken.