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

I acknowledge the importance of the question, but it is important that we look very carefully at the other alternatives available. There are a number of informal arrangements that are provided for through an exemption and that reflect the flexibility that is needed for kinship requirements and all those things. But if a particular kinship arrangement needs to be made more permanent then a permanent exemption can be provided by going through the court process to make that particular temporary or flexible kinship arrangement available. That does not have a negative impact on the flexibility of that arrangement because, under the existing Centrelink provisions, flexible exemption arrangements can be for a short term. This is not the principal or only tool that is available. The government will look to a suite of other tools, particularly capacity to provide for short-term flexible exemption arrangements, and should that kinship care arrangement become a permanent arrangement then that would be reflected through the court process.