Senate debates

Thursday, 16 August 2007

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007; Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007; Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Bill 2007; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008

In Committee

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

As I understand it, the process would be that, if somebody is identified as someone who may be able to provide assistance, we would ask them to provide assistance. If they then decided that they were not going to provide assistance, we would be able to coerce them to provide assistance through an application to the Federal Court. If the Federal Court then found that the person had decided that they were at that stage still not going to help, then that would be a criminal offence, for which there would be a maximum penalty of 30 penalty units.

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