Kerrynne Liddle SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
2:10 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Labor's hesitancy to end mandatory income management in the Northern Territory became obvious when the member for Lingiari spoke in favour of it, as she has done previously. Minister, has the government realised the benefit of mandatory income management and that it should never have promised to remove it?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I thank the senator for her question and I invite the senator to refer to Senator McCarthy's contribution earlier today, which went through the approach that the government is taking to closing the gap. I say to those opposite that I know that it is probably a little too hopeful in this period of the electoral cycle, but it is very apparent to me the extent to which there is much less bipartisanship around the statements today than I've seen previously.
Sue Lines President
Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Cash?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
It is a point of order in relation to relevance. The question was quite specific. It was in relation to the benefit of mandatory income management, whether or not the government had now realised that benefit and whether or not they should—it's just a point of order of relevance.
Sue Lines President
You will recall that Minister Wong referred to Senator McCarthy's answer to previous questions, which did cover off on some of those things, but I will continue listening carefully and, if the minister is not relevant, I will draw her to that point. Minister Wong.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Albanese government is delivering a long-term plan to reform income management. First Nations people and other stakeholders have called for a measured approach to reforming income management, and decisions must be made in partnership with them. I'm advised that, over the last two years, the government has consulted with about 4½ thousand community members and 250 stakeholders across 81 communities, and communities have told us that they would prefer a longer transition period to move onto voluntary income management to ensure people are well supported to make this change.
I'm also advised that the government has been working in good faith with the Northern Territory government and that the Prime Minister has had—it might have been the minister, actually; I think this is a brief from her—productive discussions with the Chief Minister. I understand that income management has not changed in the Northern Territory since the previous government, and the same rules around income management apply in the NT as have existed since 2007.
Kerrynne Liddle SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
2:13 pm
Will Prime Minister Albanese allow the Northern Territory's grog ban to lapse? He was distracted by the $450 million voice referendum and, at great human, social and economic cost, ended the cashless debit card. In an interview on ABC on Friday, the Prime Minister said his commitment was to ensure everything he does makes a positive difference, but words are not actions. Will your government end income management for 27,000 Territorians, or is the Prime Minister talking from both sides of his mouth again?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:14 pm
Senator, that's an unnecessarily barbed comment on a really important issue—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
and I will answer the issue. What I would say to you—and, if I can just clarify, I'm advised that the information I provided just now was, in fact, information from the Minister for Social Services's portfolio. I'm advised, as I said, that income management hasn't changed in the Northern Territory and the same rules currently apply as have existed since 2007. The Northern Territory government has the ability to refer adults to income management if there are child protection concerns and can refer someone to income management where there are concerns for the care, protection and welfare of the child. Importantly this could include neglect. People under the child protection measure have 70 per cent of their payments quarantined. We're working with them closely in relation to that referral process.
Kerrynne Liddle SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
2:15 pm
Labor MPs on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights recommended an end to all forms of income management in 2024. Minister Rishworth's department recently completed consultations on ending mandatory income management in the Northern Territory. Yet the Prime Minister still says there are no plans to stop mandatory income management. Will your government end mandatory income management—yes or no?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
As I said earlier, we've indicated we are listening to communities about how income management can best work for them, and any decisions about the future of income management will be based on genuine consultation. I would have thought that, given what has been said by many—
Kerrynne Liddle SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
Point of order: the question went to yes or no.
Sue Lines President
And there was a preamble to the question as well, which the minister is entitled to respond to.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I'll say it again: we're committed to listening to communities on how income management can best work for them, and any—
Senator Ruston, you can't stop interjecting, can you?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Point of order: with all due respect to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, who loves to make points of order in relation to other people's behaviour, all points should go through the chair, not directly across the chamber.
Sue Lines President
Minister Wong did not make a point of order. She responded to an interjection, which, as you know, if you're on your feet answering questions—
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
It was directly to the senator and not through you.
Sue Lines President
Sure, I'll take that point, but it was not a point of order. I remind Senator Wong to make her comments to the chair.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
It wasn't worth a point of order. It was just a comment, but—
Opposition senators interjecting—
Would you like me to keep going, President, or do they want to keep going?
Sue Lines President
Yes, you've got 18 seconds.
Opposition senators interjecting—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
They don't want to hear the answer? That's fine.
Sue Lines President
Order! Senator McGrath, I'm going to ask you to withdraw that comment, please.
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
I withdraw.