Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I wasn't necessarily implying there was any support from those organisations. I'm just giving you some facts about who the Minister for Social Services spoke to. This was a government decision about a power, based on advice from a number of different agencies, that we decided to include as an amendment.

We didn't have a broad consultation process around it outside of government. It was a process that was led across ministers within government, and, as I said, the opportunity for ACOSS and EJA is really in working with the Minister for Social Services on the operational guidance around this. I've already provided the Senate with a letter from the Minister for Social Services about the approach she intends to take with the Ombudsman around transparency and reporting, and I think there is opportunity for those organisations to be involved in that process. I think a lot of the concerns that have been raised this morning, particularly about how widespread this application of this power would be, are unfounded. It is a very specific and very unusual set of circumstances that would lead to this power being applicable to someone on income support.