House debates

Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Personal Explanations

3:13 pm

Photo of Alan TudgeAlan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the minister claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Alan TudgeAlan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I do, Mr Speaker. Yesterday, in the chamber the member for Barton made a claim that I had intervened in a review undertaken by my department of Mr Andrew Johnson's DSP eligibility. I had not intervened, and those reviews are independently undertaken by my department.

In the case of Mr Johnson, he was granted the disability support pension in 2002. While my department was aware of some of his conditions, it was not clear on his record the full extent of those conditions, including the fact that he was in assisted living. Consequently, he was sent a letter on 15 September by my department, which his mother responded to on 6 October with the information which my department sought. On 13 October, my department finalised and clarified that so that he would continue to receive his disability support pension.