Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you claim to have been misrepresented?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, on 22 March, the member for Fadden claimed to have been misrepresented by me in question time, where I quoted royal commission evidence by Kath Madgwick that her son, Jarrad Madgwick, took his own life hours after receiving a robodebt notice. Specifically, the member for Fadden said, 'It was not a robodebt; it was not part of the robodebt cohort.' Today I set the record straight.

Opposition members interjecting—

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He needs to say where he has been misrepresented.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm about to.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business has taken a point of order. I will ask the minister to directly indicate where he has been misrepresented so he may set the record.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Fadden got up and said that I was wrong and that it wasn't a robodebt and that it was not part of the robodebt cohort. Following his intervention last Wednesday, I contacted the department. I set the record straight. In May 2019, a Check and Update Past Information review was commenced in relation to Mr Madgwick to resolve a discrepancy. CUPI was the last system and business process iteration of the robodebt scheme, which was called the Income Compliance Program by the then Department of Human Services. Since the member for Fadden's misrepresentation, I have received advice from Services Australia that specifically says about Mr Madgwick's debt notice, which triggered him to take his own life, 'The debt was raised as a result of an income compliance review that was undertaken by part of the robodebt scheme.'

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The manager will resume his seat.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll finish up in another sentence—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The manager will resume his seat. The minister must immediately conclude—

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

or provide more information about where he's been misrepresented.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the member for Fadden to stop gaslighting the dead and the bereaved!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. The Manager of Opposition Business?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That shows a complete disregard for your rulings and for the conventions of this House. I submit that you should deal with the minister in a severe fashion.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm going to ask the minister before he leaves to withdraw the last part of that statement.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sure. I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Warringah has indicated an indulgence. The member for Fadden has not indicated to me that he is seeking the call, but is it about a personal explanation?

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may proceed.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you claim to have been misrepresented?

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may proceed.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just now, the Minister for Government Services said that I'd been wrong in saying that Mrs Madgwick's son's debt was properly raised and was not done by averaging either fully or partially and therefore was not part of the robodebt cohort. That remains the case and those remain the facts.