Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

As senators would be aware—at least those who are interested—the government has tasked the Productivity Commission to report on ways in which we can improve that affordability, that flexibility and that accessibility. The draft report of the Productivity Commission was delivered in July. They are now in their final stages and I understand that the final report will be delivered to the government later this year.

In the process of the inquiry, the Productivity Commission received over 900 formal submissions—a very significant input from both a wide cross-section of the Australian community and organisations—giving the Productivity Commission in its work an absolute wealth of ideas and evidence with which to conduct their inquiry. As well as those formal submissions, the Productivity Commission received almost 1,200 comments from ordinary Australians—from mums and dads and others who are part of the system—who wanted to make a contribution as well. In addition, over 85 individuals or organisations appeared in the public hearings process before the commission, giving them further invaluable feedback on their draft.

If you look at the multiplicity of responses to the Productivity Commission and the number of people who have engaged in the process, which had that informal opportunity—

Senator Lines interjecting—