Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Two weeks ago, the secretary of the department announced their intention to resume welfare payment cancellations and suspensions from October. These penalties were suspended for two years after it was determined that private employment services providers were unlawfully breaching participants, causing automatic suspensions and cancellations with no accessible appeal or complaint mechanism because the decision-making process was concealed within the providers. The Commonwealth Ombudsman's December report set out several recommendations to remedy this misconduct. Minister, what specific actions has the department taken to implement the Ombudsman's recommendations and to prevent further misconduct by private employment services providers?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Allman-Payne. I think for some time now we have had some dialogue in Senate estimates and elsewhere about the fact that there is a philosophical difference between this Labor government and the Greens political party when it comes to matters involving mutual obligation, and your question goes to that point. This government and the Labor Party for some time have had a policy supporting the concept of mutual obligation, wherein a government does have an obligation to support those out of work. I know that's something that is not supported by all members in this chamber, but Labor certainly respects that obligation. Equally, those who are out of work do have an obligation to seek work. Governments have a responsibility to assist people in that regard.

But the matters that you are asking about go to suspensions of payments that can be made involving people who do not fulfil the obligations that they owe to the Australian public. I'm happy to obtain some further information for you on the specific question about the suspension of those obligations. I don't have anything in front of me at the moment, being the representing minister, but, if there is anything more I can provide, I'm happy to do so.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Allman-Payne, first supplementary?

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Economic Justice Australia estimates that 310,000 people have been affected by unlawful payment cancellations and suspensions, although the precise figure remains unknown because the government has not undertaken a comprehensive investigation of the Targeted Compliance Framework. Why has the department not conducted its own review to determine the exact number of individuals impacted by the dysfunction of the Targeted Compliance Framework?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, Senator Allman-Payne, if there's anything that I can obtain for you that specifically goes to the question, I'll do so, but the issues that you're asking about generally around the Targeted Compliance Framework first came to attention when I held the role of Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. At the time, the department initiated a review of the system that I think was undertaken by Deloitte. It did make recommendations about changes that should be made, and, to the best of my knowledge, the department is in the process of implementing those.

Of course, our government does not support those receiving social security payments being unlawfully deprived of what they are entitled to. That's, of course, not something that any government should support. I know that action has been taken by the department in order to do so. I think you did seek or refer to a particular number, and that's the matter that I'll need to come back to you on, if I'm in a position to provide any information.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Allman-Payne, second supplementary?

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Antipoverty Centre, ACOSS, Economic Justice Australia and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services have jointly for called the abolition of the Targeted Compliance Framework and for compensation to be provided to every affected person. Minister, how can you reform a system founded on fear and compulsion and that relies on private providers to act appropriately when they are financially incentivised to breach participants?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, Senator Allman-Payne, this government does not support employment service providers undertaking action that is unlawful or that is based on fear. That is not how the system has been designed, and that's certainly not how we want to see it being implemented. What I'm advised of is that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has undertaken significant work to address findings from the Commonwealth Ombudsman and other reviews into the administration of the Targeted Compliance Framework. The secretary of the department has provided the government with assurance about the department's work to strengthen safeguards and address outstanding issues.

Our government's immediate priority is ensuring that the current employment-services system is operating as it should, and that's why we've provided funding to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to introduce additional safeguards in order to strengthen the integrity of the Targeted Compliance Framework. This work will ensure that every jobseeker's individual circumstances are considered before any compliance requiring decision to be applied— (Time expired)