Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that income support for students:

  (i) is an important part of Australia's safety net, and

  (ii) helps to make educational opportunities more accessible for young people, including from regional and remote communities;

(b) notes reports:

  (i) of a current backlog of 27,500 students with claims waiting to be processed, and earlier peaks of 90,000 students waiting for claims to be processed, and

  (ii) suggesting that up to 30,000 applicants may have been rejected incorrectly; and

(c) calls on the Government to take urgent action by:

  (i) reviewing rejected applications,

  (ii) restoring adequate funding to the Department of Human Services, including funding for ongoing staffing increases, and

  (iii) investing in high-quality information technology systems.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government knows the critical importance of providing support to students. That is why more than 750 staff are processing student claims each day, a fourfold increase on last year. The department is on track to be back to normal business levels by 10 May this year. Long processing times have occurred for many years. For the future, the government is investing heavily in faster, simpler, more user-friendly IT. These investments will also speed up claims processing.

The government's record of investment in Centrelink's IT stands in stark contrast to the record of those opposite. While they stand in the way of progress, we are getting on with building the innovative 21st century Infrastructure Australia needs.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion is even more important in light of the government's budget yesterday where they cut further the staff and support for the Department of Human Services, the very department that this motion refers to. So the situation is only going to get worse when Centrelink is further defunded and has to actually also provide an efficiency dividend. Please support this motion. It is even more important than ever.

Question agreed to.