Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I concur with the remarks of the shadow minister. These two schedules have been taken by agreement out of the one bill and put into this bill because they are time sensitive relative to the end of this financial year. Therefore, that is a very practical compromise and does not interfere with the coalition’s desire to send the other schedules of TLAB 3 across to the Senate committee for examination and report later on in this calendar year.

Exempting rent assistance paid to Austudy recipients from income tax is obviously very beneficial to those concerned and we support it. As a party we tend to be very sympathetic to students and have a long history of barracking for their needs, so that is welcome. The income tax treatment of the carer adjustment payment also falls into the same category of remarks. The needy group that is getting this assistance will be grateful. I will say though in passing that, in a policy sense, I really do dislike the lump sum payments approach adopted by both the previous government and the present government to carers and pensioners. I think they would be far better off with a permanent adjustment to their income levels through standard fortnightly or monthly payments, instead of the occasional largesse. But that is another topic for another day. I am really just putting that on the record yet again. The Democrats will support these amendments.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with amendments; report adopted.