The SPEAKER ( Hon. Tony Smith ) took the chair at 09:30, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 1 December 2020.
2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 1 December 2020, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 7 December 2020, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS
Presentation and statements
1 STANDING COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURE:
The House must go on: Report of the inquiry into the practices and procedures put in place by the House in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.20 am.
Speech time limits—
Mr Vasta — 5minutes.
Next Member speaking—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
2 Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs:
Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.30 am.
Speech time limits—
Mr Leeser — 5minutes.
Next Member speaking—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 Ms Burney: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to fair work entitlements for workers experiencing domestic and family violence, and for related purposes. ( Fair Work Amendment (Ten Days Paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave) Bill 2020 )
( Notice given 1 December 2020. )
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes—pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
2 Mr Bandt: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Defence Act 1903 to provide for parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Defence Force, and for related purposes. (Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2020 )
( Notice given 1 December 2020. )
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes—pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
3 Mr Wilkie: To present a Bill for an Act to restrict the export of live animals for slaughter pending its prohibition, and for related purposes. ( Live Animal Export Prohibition (Ending Cruelty) Bill 2020 )
( Notice given 1 December 2020. )
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes—pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
4 Mr Wallace: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) 3 December 2020 was International Day of People with Disability; and
(b) the theme for this year's International Day of People with Disability was 'Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world';
(2) notes that:
(a) the world leading National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is empowering people with disability all over Australia to make decisions about the supports that they receive, and to participate more fully in all aspects of our society as we recover from the COVID-19 crisis;
(b) the NDIS is now available to all eligible Australians, wherever they live;
(c) the NDIS is currently assisting more than 400,000 participants; and
(d) more than 175,000 NDIS participants are receiving supports for the first time;
(3) commends the Government on completing the successful roll out of the NDIS to all states and territories; and
(4) welcomes the Government's extension of temporary additional supports for NDIS participants during the COVID-19 pandemic until February 2021.
( Notice given 30 November 2020. )
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Wallace—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
5 Ms Claydon: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) 25 November 2020 marked the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, beginning the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence;
(b) approximately 45 Australian women have been murdered in a domestic violence homicide this year;
(c) one in three Australian women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a man since the age of 15; and
(d) the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an escalation of domestic abuse, with more women accessing online services, and more men seeking support for abusive behaviour;
(2) commends the work of the family, domestic and sexual violence sector, which continues to deliver vital services to men, women and children amidst the pandemic;
(3) acknowledges that many family violence organisations are struggling to meet the demand for services—yet the Government has provided no additional funding in the budget; and
(4) urges the Government to:
(a) listen to the family violence sector and respond to their calls for more support to help women and children flee violence; and
(b) ensure the full resources of Government are used to eliminate family violence from our community.
( Notice given 1 December 2020. )
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.
Speech time limits—
Ms Claydon—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 Ms Templeman: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that under the Government's child care subsidy system:
(a) fees and out of pocket costs are out of control, with the Department of Education predicting that fees will increase by 5.3 per cent in 2020-21;
(b) fees have increased by more than 35 per cent since the election of the Government in 2013;
(c) Australian families contribute 37 per cent of early education and child care costs, compared to the OECD average of 18 per cent;
(d) there is an annual subsidy cap which is a significant barrier to work for many families; and
(e) secondary income earners earn very little take home pay if they go back to work full time;
(2) further notes that recent reports by the Grattan Institute, KPMG, and PwC have found that increased investment in early education and child care would boost Australia's gross domestic product by between $4 billion and $11 billion through increased workforce participation; and
(3) calls on the Government to fix its broken child care subsidy system that has failed to keep a lid on costs and has failed to support working parents, particularly women, to work full time or increase their hours.
( Notice given 30 November 2020. )
Time allotted—40 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms Templeman—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
2 Mr Connelly: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) was founded in 1916 to ensure a unified approach to address the lack of organised repatriation facilities and medical services available to those returning from the Great War;
(2) recognises there are RSL branches and sub-branches in every state and territory, and most local communities have a RSL club;
(3) further notes the motto of the RSL is 'The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance';
(4) acknowledges that RSL clubs help veterans and communities right around Australia in many and varied ways; and
(5) congratulates the many hard-working volunteers and community-minded citizens who help make the RSL the success that it is.
( Notice given 21 October 2020. )
Time allotted—40 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Connelly—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
3 Dr Leigh: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) charities are the most trusted sector in Australian public life;
(b) charities employ over one million Australians and contribute nearly one-tenth of Australia's national income;
(c) charities are the first line of support for the most vulnerable in our communities during times of economic and social upheaval;
(d) meeting the requirements of Australia's seven different fundraising regimes is wasting the time and energy of Australian charities and not-for-profit organisations; and
(e) the Government's failure to act on fundraising reform is costing Australian charities over $1 million every month;
(2) recognises that:
(a) for several years, the charity and not-for-profit sector has been calling for reform of Australia's fundraising laws;
(b) Treasury's 5 year review of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, delivered on 31 May 2018, identified fundraising law as the major reporting burden on charities and recommended that fundraising law be harmonised across the country;
(c) on 14 February 2019, the Senate Select Committee on Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century called on parliament to harmonise fundraising law within two years;
(d) that inquiry, chaired by Labor Senator Catryna Bilyk, delivered a unanimous report, with its recommendations being supported by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, Liberal Senators Eric Abetz and Amanda Stoker, former Labor Senator David Smith, and former United Australia Party Senator Brian Burston;
(e) throughout 2020, the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission's Not for Profit Working Group, the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, and the Charities Crisis Cabinet have all identified harmonisation of fundraising laws as a key initiative in helping Australian charities provide strong support for our communities; and
(f) failure to deliver fundraising reform has significant costs to the charity and not-for-profit sector, with the Senate Select Committee on Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century report estimating that the annual cost to charities and their donors is around $15 million; and
(3) calls on the Government to:
(a) apologise to Australian charities for failing to meet the two-year timeframe set out in the Senate Select Committee on Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century report;
(b) now commit to support Australian charities and the communities they serve by ending unnecessary waste of their precious resources;
(c) support the generous Australian donors who donate money to our charities, by ensuring their donations are not needlessly eroded by redundant administrative and regulatory costs; and
(d) confirm a timeline for the commencement a consistent national model for regulating not‑for‑profit and charitable fundraising activities.
( Notice given 30 November 2020. )
Time allotted—40 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Dr Leigh—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
4 Ms Bell: To move:
That this House notes that:
(1) 25 August 2020 marked three years since over 700,000 Rohingya, including more than 400,000 children, fled from targeted violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, to Bangladesh;
(2) the camps in Bangladesh now host over 850,000 refugees in crowded conditions which is also impacting the lives of over 400,000 local Bangladeshis;
(3) an estimated 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine State;
(4) since 2017, the Australian Government has provided over $260 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for displaced and conflict-affected communities in Bangladesh and Myanmar, working through UN agencies, international and national NGOs such as BRAC, Save the Children, CARE, World Vision, Plan International and Oxfam and their local partners to deliver food, shelter, water and sanitation, health and education services, and targeted support for women and girls to help combat risks including gender-based violence and trafficking;
(5) annual monsoons and cyclones have brought additional risks, and the COVID-19 virus has now arrived, with 88 confirmed cases to date in the Cox's Bazar camps and over 80 active cases in Rakhine State; and
(6) Australia remains committed to supporting Myanmar to create conditions on the ground conducive to voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable returns for all displaced peoples.
( Notice given 21 October 2020. )
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 1.30 pm.
Speech time limits—
Ms Bell—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices—continued
5 Ms Sharkie: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) in November 2020, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) released a report entitled, Buy now pay later: an industry update , which set out the key observations about the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) industry, the experiences of consumers and recent regulatory developments;
(b) the report found that:
(i) more than 1 in 5 BNPL consumers surveyed missed a payment in the past 12 months, resulting in over $43 million in late fees for the 2018-19 financial year;
(ii) most BNPL consumers who had missed a payment had used multiple BNPL providers in the past six months;
(iii) nearly 40 per cent of BNPL consumers surveyed who had missed a payment in the past 12 months also had a payday loan or similar; and
(iv) 20 per cent of all BNPL consumers surveyed said they had cut back, or went without, essentials, like meals, to make their payments;
(c) BNPL providers have stated no more than 1 per cent of their consumers have been in financial hardship during COVID-19, and that this is inconsistent with the observations contained in the ASIC report for the 2018-19 financial year; and
(d) BNPL providers are not regulated by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and are therefore not bound by responsible lending obligations; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) respond to the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics entitled Credit and Financial Services Targeted at Australians at Risk of Financial Hardship tabled in the Parliament in February 2019 as a matter of urgency;
(b) introduce a bill that would amend the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 to enact the recommendations of the Government's Review of Small Amount Credit Contract Laws;
(c) extend the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 to BNPL providers; and
(d) ensure no changes are made to the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 that would undermine or weaken responsible lending obligations as per the recommendations of Commissioner Kenneth Hayne.
( Notice given 1 December 2020. )
Time allotted—45 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms Sharkie—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
6 Mr T. R. Wilson: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the benefits of home ownership are enjoyed during the working life of Australians, and in retirement;
(b) home ownership is more critical for a secure retirement than a large superannuation balance, as income can be supplemented by the pension;
(c) there is a disturbing rise of Australians who are entering retirement in poverty because of a lack of home ownership, particularly amongst separated and divorced women;
(d) currently Australians are forced to save for superannuation first and a home second;
(e) young Australians are struggling to save enough for a home deposit because their savings are locked away in superannuation;
(f) Australians only benefit from superannuation for about 20 years; and
(g) Australians draw the benefits of home ownership for around 50 years—both while working and in retirement; and
(2) recognises and acknowledges that:
(a) the order should be reversed: home first, super second;
(b) if young Australians could use their superannuation with other savings for a home deposit, they could buy a home both earlier and more cheaply; and
(c) by owning a home, young Australians will have a better life and a better retirement.
( Notice given 30 November 2020. )
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr T. R. Wilson—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
7 Mr J. H. Wilson: To move:
That this House:
(1) affirms the longstanding, important, and respectful relationship between Australia and the Philippines, and supports the ongoing cooperation between our countries in key areas like regional development, maritime security, and disaster risk and reduction management;
(2) expresses its opposition to the recently intensified repression directed at human rights and labour rights defenders in the Philippines, evident by:
(a) the International Trade Union Confederation listing the Philippines in the top ten worst countries for workers' rights as a result of the extrajudicial killings of forty-six union members and officials in the last three years;
(b) the deteriorating human rights environment and the rise in unlawful killings by state agencies which means that workers, civil servants, trade union organisations, and labour activists fear for their safety;
(c) the nearly three-year extension of martial law in Mindanao, after it was initially approved for sixty days, and which only ended in December 2019; and
(d) the UN Human Rights Council's adoption of resolution 41/2 expressing concern over human rights violations and requesting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in the Philippines that was due in June 2020;
(3) supports recommendations put forward by the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Conference Committee on the Application of Standards to:
(a) oppose any language that creates a negative stigmatisation of those defending the rights of workers and human rights; and
(b) oppose any military intervention in industrial disputes, as such interventions in trade union affairs can only occur with approval of the Government, which constitutes a grave violation of human rights and the principles of freedom of association; and
(4) calls on the Government to support the upholding of labour and human rights, in line with international standards, by endorsing:
(a) the ILO's resolution to send a high-level tripartite mission to the Philippines to conduct an open, transparent, and robust investigation of the human rights situation; and
(b) any auditing process of Australian security engagements in the Philippines, such as the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program, as a way of ensuring we are not indirectly supporting human rights violations in the Philippines.
( Notice given 1 3 May 2020. )
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr J. H. Wilson—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
8 Mr Falinski : To move:
That this House:
(1) condemns:
(a) lawless activity on workplaces in Australia;
(b) the use of vessel bans, overtime bans, acting up bans, shift bans, and stop work meetings by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) that has created chaos on Australian wharves;
(c) the use of industrial action in support of pay increases of over 30 per cent for people earning over $300,000 while damaging the capacity of so many other businesses to pay workers on much lower salaries and create jobs; and
(d) industrial action that threatens supply of critical medical supplies in the middle of a pandemic;
(2) notes that:
(a) many industry sectors including agriculture and road transport have reported supply chain problems which are linked to the MUA's actions;
(b) it is estimated that $165.6 million of imports and $66.9 million of exports per day were disrupted; and
(c) vital medical supplies are being disrupted, at a time when they are needed the most;
(3) further notes that this industrial action is:
(a) not in support of any safety or other related issue but rather pay increases for many people who are earning over $300,000 a year;
(b) supported by many other associated entities of the labour movement such as the Australian Labor Party, industry super owned proxy adviser Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, industry super owned media companies such as The New Daily , class action law firms, and others; and
(c) consistent with previous actions that have hurt our national interests such as during World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and other times; and
(4) notes the failure of the interest based bargaining that has handed over management control to the MUA and still resulted in out of control industrial action and disempowered workplaces, and threatens the Australian dream.
( Notice given 20 October 2020. )
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Falinski—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
9 Mr Leeser: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the:
(a) substantial investment the Government has made since 2013 in funding urban infrastructure projects to reduce congestion and improve quality of life for people living in urban areas; and
(b) significant role the Government has played in partnering with state governments and private enterprise to ensure these essential projects are carried forward;
(2) acknowledges the positive impact these projects have had on the Australian economy through boosting productivity and creating jobs;
(3) commends the Government for its ongoing commitment to reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety through a record $110 billion transport infrastructure program, boosting the economy, creating jobs and getting Australians home sooner and safer; and
(4) congratulates the Government on the recent completion of numerous major infrastructure projects, including NorthConnex, which is enabling drivers to travel between Newcastle and Melbourne without stopping at a single traffic light, boosting productivity as well as improving traffic flow and pedestrian safety on Pennant Hills Road.
( Notice given 9 November 2020. )
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 7.30 pm.
Speech time limits—
Mr Leeser—5 minutes.
Other Members—5 minutes. each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day.
THE HON A. D. H. SMITH MP
Speaker of the House of Representatives
2 December 2020
That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent a grievance debate occurring in the Federation Chamber as the final item of business today, commencing no later than 6.30 pm with debate to be interrupted after one hour.
Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 6) Bill 2020
That this bill be now read a second time.
Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Serious Incident Response Scheme and Other Measures) Bill 2020
That this bill be now read a second time.
That in accordance with section 10B of the Health Insurance Act 1973 , the House approve the Health Insurance (Extended Medicare Safety Net) Amendment (Indexation) Determination 2020 made on 19 November 2020 and presented to the House on 30 November 2020.
That the reporting time for the inquiry of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services into litigation funding and the regulation of the class action industry be extended from 7 December 2020 to 21 December 2020.
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Melbourne from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:
(1) declares an environment and climate emergency;
(2) recognises that:
(a) as signatories to the Paris Agreement, Australia must ensure a safe and stable climate system, which requires limiting global temperature rises to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius;
(b) the Bureau of Meteorology has advised this Parliament that under current targets, the world is on track for a temperature rise of 3.4 degrees, and that means up to 4.4 degrees of warming in Australia, making much of the country uninhabitable within our children's lifetimes; and
(c) today New Zealand will move to declare a climate emergency joining other countries including England, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Canada and Japan; and
(3) acknowledges that no aspect of Australia's economy, society and environment will be left untouched by a breakdown of the climate system and that the Government and the Parliament must take urgent action before 2030.
The House divided. [10:19]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020
… officials from the Department of Social Services talk about the kinds of numbers that they were expecting to see unemployed in April—
They were predicting an increase from what we're seeing today. So, as to pulling these benefits back, we are arguing—I do need to be clear about this—for a permanent increase—
In the meantime, it is clearly not the time to be pulling this back. And not only that, but, as to the timing and the actual date that we're looking at this decrease coming in, we know, from decades of data, that, in emergency relief and in financial counselling services, January is always the peak for those services. It is an expensive time of year for families. There's preparation for the school year. There are increased costs in cooling their dwellings, especially in the last couple of summers we've had. There are Christmas peaks. There are all those kinds of things. So, even down to the month and the day, it is not the right time.
One is that you could have a substantial increase in JobSeeker without adversely affecting incentives to take up paid work … and … there is no evidence that the higher level of JobSeeker during 2020, with the COVID-19 supplement, has had any appreciable effect on incentives to take up paid work for the people who are receiving JobSeeker.
Most people who experience mild to moderate mental illness are able to manage their illness and mitigate its effect on their employment. But for some, especially those with more severe illnesses, there are barriers to employment at the individual and community levels.
Develop a Commonwealth process for reviewing new policies or initiatives to ensure they assess any impacts (positively or negatively) on suicidal risk or behaviour.
This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House:
Reject the two-lane proposal and support the construction of a 4-lane highway as part of the Tiaro Flood Immunity Upgrade (Tiaro bypass) project for the Bruce Highway at Tiaro.
The road to recovery will be long, the road to recovery will be hard, the road to recovery will be bumpy—
What has become clearer, though, as time has passed is that Australia is likely to experience a run of years with unemployment too high and wage increases and inflation too low …
At no point at all did the opposition raise any issues with the government's response—at no time at all.
The Government's focus on announcements and not delivery.
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020
The House divided. [16:37]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(1) Schedule 1, page 3 (before line 5), before item 1, insert:
1A After Part 1.3B of Chapter 1
Insert:
Part 1.3C—Additional economic support payments to address inequities arising out of coronavirus pandemic
38X Minister must consider what additional payments may be required
As soon as practicable after this section commences, the Minister must consider whether to do any or all of the following:
(a) extend the COVID-19 supplement until 28 March 2021 at the amount of $250 per fortnight, in line with extensions to jobkeeper payments;
(b) better support recipients of the age pension, disability support pension and carer payment who are facing increased costs to protect their health in the face of the coronavirus pandemic;
(c) announce a permanent increase to the base rate of jobseeker payments.
The House divided. [16:51]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(2) Schedule 1, Division 2, page 3 (line 12) to page 5 (line 25), omit the Division.
The House divided. [17:02]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(3) Schedule 1, items 39 to 41, page 7 (lines 10 to 15), omit the items.
The House divided. [17:10]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(4) Schedule 1, item 44, page 10 (after line 21), after section 1262, insert:
1262A Minister must immediately consider required modifications
As soon as practicable after this section commences, the Minister must consider whether the period for which a determination can be in force under section 1263 should be extended to allow determinations to be made for as long as the impacts from COVID-19 continue to exist.
Example: This could allow for the continuation, after 31 March 2021, of the extended partner income test, $300 income free areas and eligibility rules for people who are self-employed or sole traders.
The House divided. [17:28]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
That this bill be now read a third time.
Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020
What I know is that to rob a person of their right to take responsibility for themselves, to strip them of responsibility and capability to direct their own futures, to make them dependent, is to deny them their liberty, and slowly that person will wither before your eyes. That's what we did to our First Nations peoples, and, mostly, we didn't even know we were doing it. We thought we were helping when we replaced independence with welfare. This must change. We must restore the right to take responsibility, the right to make decisions …
I understand where they're coming from, growing up in a high drug and alcohol area as a child and having been a victim of parents not doing the right thing.
But they don't need to punish everyone. The fundamentals don't work and it's not targeting the right people. When I have to call these people—
and I have anxiety, it's quite upsetting and it’s stressful.
(a) thirteen years after the Howard Government's so-called Intervention in the Northern Territory, there is no evidence that compulsory, broad-based income management works;
(b) the Minister decided to make the Cashless Debit Card trial permanent before reading the independent review by Adelaide University; and
(c) this proposal is racially discriminatory, as approximately 68 per cent of the people impacted are First Nations Australians …
(a) not roll out the Cashless Debit Card nationally; and
(b) invest in evidence-based policies, job creation and services, rather than ideological policies like the Cashless Debit Card.
… the starting point might be to recognise that the problem starts with us non-Aboriginal Australians.
It begins, I think, with that act of recognition.
Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing.
States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them.
The Australian National University's Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research found that it was not clear whether a perceived reduction in alcohol use identified by the ORIMA research could be definitively linked to the trial or was the result of alcohol restrictions implemented separately in each trial location.
A national study into compulsory income management in Australia found that 87 per cent of the people surveyed who are on income management did not see any benefits from the scheme. The research found that in contrast to policy discourses about income management being used to strengthen and benefit recipients independence, build responsibility and help transition individuals away from welfare dependency and into work, we found that income management appears to weaken the financial position and capabilities of those subjected to it.
While there is little evidence of effectiveness, there is evidence that compulsory income quarantining has led to a range of adverse consequences, including an increase in social exclusion, stigma, difficulty providing for family needs, and the erosion of individual autonomy.
Ultimately, we believe that the CDC is a paternalistic and punitive measure, driven by ideology rather than evidence.
The ORIMA evaluation has been widely criticised for its paucity of evidence and lack of robust methodology, including by the Auditor-General.
… a comparison of 2014 evaluation findings using contemporary data on child health and wellbeing, education, crime and alcohol consumption was recently completed for the Northern Territory, where income management has been in place for over one third of the Indigenous population for a decade. It found that:
None of the evaluations regarding the CDC—
trial show conclusive evidence that the objectives have been met. At present, there is no credible evidence that restricting people's access to cash reduces the incidence of addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling.
In a report completed in 2018, the Australian National Audit Office noted that:
"the approach to monitoring and evaluation was inadequate … making it difficult to conclude whether there had been a reduction in social harm and whether the card was a lower cost welfare quarantining approach".
YMAC takes this opportunity to reaffirm its strong opposition … to the Commonwealth Government's continued imposition of income management and cashless welfare measures, specifically its "Cashless Debit Card".
… … …
Despite ongoing lack of conclusive, accepted empirical data or evidence to support the government's conclusions that these initiatives are solving the issues claimed to be associated with welfare dependence, it continues to progress this paternalistic agenda.
We have shown the CDC … to have had no substantive effect on the available measures for the targeted behaviours of gambling or intoxicant abuse.
… we are concerned at the continued pursuit of this policy against the advice of addiction specialists.
… … …
More than 50 years of psychological research shows that positive reinforcement strategies are more effective than punitive strategies in bringing about behavioural change.
Providing a three-month extension is a Band-Aid on a social and economic wound that we need to address as a nation.
… our perspective on the cashless debit card, from the enormous consultation we’ve had with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, is that they don’t want it, hence why we’re calling on the Senate not to support this bill.
… is expensive, paternalistic, not based on the evidence and is a top-down blanket approach that will not address the real needs, or complex systemic issues, impacting Aboriginal people living in the Northern Territory (NT).
… compulsory and conditional income management is a vehicle for disempowerment and continuing the stigmatisation and trauma of Aboriginal people.
The distress, shame and hardship it causes to people (disproportionately, women, mothers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in all current trial sites) is based on a false assumption that stripping people of autonomy and dignity will solve serious health and social issues.
While there are more positive results associated with people who volunteer, as they have made a choice to change their behaviour and receive assistance, positive findings have been found for people who have been referred for Income Management by a social worker or a child protection officer.
The continuation of compulsory income management through the transfer to the CDC is being rushed forward despite the lack of any strong or positive evidence drawn from either the 2014 Social Policy Research Centre evaluation of New Income Management in the NT, the 2017 Orima Research evaluation of the Cashless Debit Card Trials.
Income management cannot provide a transition to employment in locations where few employment opportunities exist and those that exist are largely done by outsiders. Instead, for many Aboriginal residents of the NT, particularly those living remotely, compulsory income management is long term and, regardless of a person ' s lifestyle and financial management capacity, almost impossible to get off.
We are calling on you to stand up for Australians and block this harmful law when it is introduced into Parliament.
… essential consumer protections designed to protect ordinary people from the sorts of terrible lending practices we saw during the global financial crisis and banking royal commission
WHO has issued a conditional recommendation against the use of remdesivir in hospitalized patients, regardless of disease severity, as there is currently no evidence that remdesivir improves survival and other outcomes in these patients.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Goodenough ) took the chair at 10:04
Ordinary Seaman Sheean's actions disrupted and distracted the enemy from strafing and killing his defenceless shipmates in the water. He sacrificed his life trying to save his shipmates and, despite his wounds, he continued firing the gun until the ship sank and took him to his death. … His heroism became the standard to which the men and women of the Australian Defence Force aspire.
The thing that really floats my boat is when I see a person transformed from someone who is anxious and vulnerable when they come in the door. And then, when they start accessing our services or going to groups, they regain control and confidence and can actually see a future for themselves. Blue Mountains Cancer Help tries to offer a sense of hope. It's empowering to discover there are many things you can do to improve your healing capacity.