Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Mason for his interest in an area that is important to just about every Australian family. We must ensure that the people of Australia who want to access welfare benefits, Centrelink payments, student assistance, Veterans’ Affairs entitlements or Medicare payments get those payments, get them on time and, increasingly, get them online using electronic means of servicing. Also—and I am sure Senator Mason would care about this—we must ensure that those people who are ripping off the system, ripping off the Australian taxpayer, are brought to justice. We must create a system that ensures that welfare payments and support are delivered efficiently and effectively to the people who need them.

That is the reason the government is bringing in a smart card—the Australian government smart card—to ensure access to these services. The government wants to ensure that, instead of having to fill out potentially up to 19 different application forms for services and concessions around Australia, you can do it once, you can do it securely and the government will know who you are. The smart card will ensure that your identity and information are protected.

The senator asks about alternative policies. The current Medicare card we use was sent out by the Australian Labor Party in 1984. Of course, the Labor Party would yearn for the good old days of the Datsun 200B, the 1984 car—