Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

I want to thank the Senate for its consideration of this bill. The government supports the amendments the Senate has made. For the benefit of the House, the Senate amendments give full effect to our policy intent by providing for the automatic waiving of future small debts below the new threshold of $250 before those amounts are required to be formally raised as debts by Services Australia. The amendments ensure that the small debt waiver regime provides for these waivers consistently under the Social Security Act 1991 and the Student Assistance Act 1973.

More broadly, the passage of this bill marks an important step forward in social security reform. The income apportionment resolution scheme will now be established. More than a million small debts will be waived from next March, with the new threshold indexed into the future. Special circumstances debt waivers will be available to more victims-survivors of domestic violence, particularly where there has been financial abuse and coercion, and an important ministerial power will be available for the cancellation of payments in highly prescribed circumstances. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

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