Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Reconciliation) Share this | Hansard source

I understand that, Minister, but it's related to work, and that's the nexus that I'm interested in. I also have some questions specific to the transition matters and the estimations of income and so forth. As you know, in many of these places there are a lot of people who have turned their back on the social services schemes and simply don't have any income. They're a problem. I'm not sure whether this scheme is going to help those people. You talk about a cohort who are registered, but in these communities there is another cohort who aren't registered and are a problem or a difficulty or are suffering poverty. I'm not sure whether this does anything to relieve that. I'm sure it doesn't, given your previous statement.

I have a question. If a person is paid on a monthly basis but they work only one week in that month, will the money they earn be averaged forward over the fortnight or over the month? How will the secretary make a decision about the way income is averaged forward to make sure it is fair and reasonable to the social security recipient?