Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I again thank Senator Ruston for her question. While income management legislation in the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 does not sunset, it operates through a number of legislative instruments that sunset every 10 years. These instruments enable income management to operate in specific locations, and/or income management measures. Six of these legislative instruments were due to sunset on 1 October 2022. In order to consult effectively, the Attorney-General has agreed to a deferral of these six instruments for a period of 12 months. We are extending the instruments to allow time for consultation with communities, including First Nations peoples and leaders, on the future of income management. This will include what a voluntary model of income management looks like at a community or individual level and the best way to transition people who have been living on compulsory income management for 15 years. The transitional arrangements for the abolition of the CDC will also consider pathways for participants to voluntarily income manage. This is why it is practical and appropriate for the existing instruments to remain in place until further decisions are made on the future of income management.