Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education) Share this | Hansard source

I did not realise that Senator Collins had actually managed to morph and pop herself inside my head and see why I am asking these questions. Apparently, she has a very good handle on exactly what I am doing on this side of the chamber. Unfortunately, she is incorrect. I have a genuine interest in this issue and I think it is quite appropriate during a committee stage to ask questions. If you do not want the scrutiny, that is up to you, but it is entirely appropriate in the committee stage to ask questions for as long as it takes to get the answers that satisfy senators. You know that very well, Minister, as everyone else does in this chamber. We often have committee processes in this place that go for a very long time.

I have a very genuine interest in this. Like you, I have older children who were young once, and I have a very genuine interest in how this is going to impact on families in the community. If Senator Farrell had been able to give us more detailed answers earlier in regard to the consultation process and what had happened, perhaps we might be a little further through the process. Through no fault of his own, I am sure, he was not able to provide the committee with that. I am not going to apologise for standing here for a period of time and asking questions on behalf of Australian families about the rationale and the consultation behind it. There are other questions that are still to be asked. I am sorry, Minister, if you do not particularly want to be here and would prefer to be somewhere else, but this is the nature of the committee stage of legislation.

The question I ask for clarification relates to amendment (1) on sheet BM231, paragraph 84F(1)(e), to substitute 'for the income year ending on 30 June 2011—$7,941'. That is an amendment to the existing legislation which previously was $7,500. Could you indicate to the chamber the reason for that change and am I correct in assuming that the reason for the change is that, from 1 July this year, the $7½ thousand threshold may already have been increased?

Progress reported.