Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

Before I go into the substance of the amendments just moved by Minister Farrell, I'd just like to put a couple of comments on the record and then seek some further clarification around the general nature of the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022 before we moved to vote on these particular amendments.

Currently, income management in Australia is delivered by two particular means. It is either delivered through the BasicsCard, which sits under a piece of legislation called income management legislation, or delivered through the cashless debit card legislation by technology that is commonly referred to as the cashless debit card. Senator Farrell, I'm very keen to understand whether it is your intention to cause ongoing uncertainty for communities that are currently operating the cashless debit card technology as income management because of your intention, which you have indicated today, to bring your so-called enhanced technology solution into this place for consideration prior to 6 March 2023.

I also note that when you gave your final second reading speech you referred in your contribution to consultation. I would like to draw the attention of the chamber to the definition of 'consultation' and what it actually is. Consultation occurs when you actually go out and seek the views of somebody around a particular issue prior to making a determination or a decision in relation to that particular issue. The definition of 'consultation' is not 'going and telling people what you're doing after you've made a decision and after you've announced a decision'. That is actually just going out and telling them what you're intending to do.

Senator Farrell, when you came in here, you referred to consultation, as did many of your colleagues before you in their contributions. You did not consult on this bill with anybody before you made the decision in the lead-up to the election that you were intending to bring it into this place. So I put that on the record. But what I'd like to understand from you on the particular amendment that you have before us is this: is it the intention of this government to pursue any form of compulsory or mandatory income management in Australia from this time?