Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Senator Cormann has on I think six occasions, in answers to a number of questions over the past two days, declined to express regret or offer an apology to people who have been the victims of the illegal robodebt scheme, including Nadia Sievewright, including Kath Madgwick and including Rachel, who was referred to today. Can the minister explain his refusal to offer a regret or an apology when the Prime Minister has just now apologised in the House?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is appropriate for the Prime Minister to do so. As I've indicated, Services Australia makes $180 billion in payments a year. We received advice at the time the program was put together that it was lawful, and indeed many governments have used ATO averaging data over many years—Labor and Liberal. Indeed, Ms Plibersek, Mr Shorten and Mr Bowen have previously indicated that it is appropriate to seek to recover debts. But it should be done in a lawful fashion. As I indicated yesterday, of course it should not have happened in a way that was unlawful.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary is this: can the minister explain why it has taken so long for the Prime Minister to offer this apology, and can the minister explain why he is refusing to repeat that apology in this chamber?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I understand it, the Prime Minister has said the government have great regrets about any pain or injury that has been caused here, and we're making it right, and that is exactly right.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain why until today the Prime Minister failed to do the decent thing and offer an apology to those who are victims of a scheme he designed and implemented as minister, Treasurer and then Prime Minister? Why did it have to be dragged out of him in question time after a court had found against the government?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister, of course, speaks for the government, and the Prime Minister has made the government's position perfectly clear, as have I in this chamber.

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.