Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

I am not aware of that specific case; I am sure the senator will understand. I am aware of the general circumstances, however. I am also aware of the background to this data-matching program. The data-matching program, I am advised, commenced in 1990 when former senator Graham Richardson put the act through parliament that undertook this. The automated data-matching program commenced when the current Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the other place were ministers in the previous Labor government. It is important, despite the hysteria that the Labor Party have attempted to whip up on this, that the public know that the automated data-matching program that is in place at the moment was first implemented, I am advised, by the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the other place when they were ministers in the previous Labor government.

Our government have continued this program because we believe it is important. I am quite happy to say that I think taxpayers would expect the government when they have information that might be inconsistent provided by taxpayers and welfare recipients and other payment recipients to look at why that discrepancy is there and that we ensure that welfare and payment support goes to those who are most in need and to those who are legally entitled—no more and no less.