Mr SIDEBOTTOM (3:07 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs representing the Minister for Family and Community Services. I refer to reports that the Treasurer has entered into negotiations with the Democrats over the budget. Is the minister aware of evidence in Senate estimates which suggests that people currently working in business services, often known as sheltered workshops, will be pushed onto Newstart under the proposed changes to the disability support pension, despite your guarantees that they would be protected? Minister, what assurances have you sought from the Treasurer that a person with an intellectual disability working in a workshop in my electorate of Braddon for below award wages will not be sold out by another Howard government deal with the Democrats?

Mr ANTHONY (Minister for Children and Youth Affairs) —I thank the member for his question. What we do know is that we have a very competent Treasurer, just from the statements that were made before about the number of jobs that were created. What he did say and what this government says is that, particularly for those that are on a disability support pension, there is going to be encouragement for them to move into some form of employment in years to come—

Mr Sidebottom —Give us your details then.

The SPEAKER —The member for Braddon has asked his question.

Mr ANTHONY —and that is why we have contributed significantly more funding through this agreement. What we have done particularly in the employment assistance area, for which the Commonwealth is responsible, is to provide a significant increase in funding from $1.3 billion to almost $2 billion. What we need, though, is the Australian Labor Party to support those reforms to ensure that there is a lot more money going to assist people in employment assistance, whether it be through wage subsidies or through open employment.