Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for so accurately answering her question. That is in fact the case: we have changed our mind. We had a provision whereby anyone could receive a lump sum payment. We decided to amend that. For those people under 18, we decided that there were no circumstances in which that provision could be extended through a qualified social worker or otherwise. In the previous guidelines, the only circumstance that existed was one where a social worker decided that a person under 18 was sufficiently vulnerable and should receive instalments rather than a lump sum payment. But the government policy, which was announced by Minister Brough on 15 November 2006, was that all claimants under the age of 18 were to be paid by instalments.