Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Rice. I didn't mean to gloss over that issue in terms of the possibility of bridging payments. A bridging payment itself would require legislative authorisation. If this bill makes its way through the Senate and House of Representatives this week, the timetable for delivery of payments is 20 September. There is no capacity for government to just make payments by fiat. This is the most legally sound and public policy sound way of proceeding. That advice has been sought, and that's why the government has adopted the approach that it has.