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

The government accepted the recommendation of the committee report to review the implementation. We've given an undertaking—and I've given an undertaking both in my response to that report and here in this chamber—that we, as the government, give a commitment that we will commence a report and review within 12 months, and that review will be tabled in this place.

It is not common practice to embed statutory times for reviews within the primary legislation. We would also point out that setting a hard date for the commencement of the review is particularly restrictive given that this particular piece of legislation, and its rollout, is contingent on another agency and another piece of activity in the rollout of the Single Touch Payroll. Until we actually see the full level of take-up from employers on 1 July 2021—we would be statutorily required to undertake a review at a particular time and your six-month time frame would prohibit the accuracy and the wholeness of that review. What I'd say to you, Senator Siewert, is you have absolutely got the commitment of the government. I made the statement here and in other places that we would commence the review within 12 months.