Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank my colleagues for their contribution to this debate. As my colleagues have covered, the bill does introduce two family related measures from the 2015 budget, which will simplify the family payment system and achieve combined savings of $219.4 million over the forward estimates subject to the final commencement arrangements. Firstly, from 1 January 2016, families will be eligible for family tax benefit and additional payments that rely upon family tax benefit eligibility for a period of up to six weeks when outside Australia. Currently, family tax benefit part A recipients who are overseas are able to receive their usual rate of payment for six weeks and then the base rate for a further 50 weeks. This change is expected to achieve savings of $42.1 million over the forward estimates. With that, I will continue later.

Debate interrupted.