Senator NEWMAN (Minister for Social Security and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women)(3.16 p.m.) —In response to Senator Harradine, if a person receives a redundancy payment, that amount is not included in the calculations.

Senator Harradine interjecting—

Senator NEWMAN —I thought you said when they were taking a redundancy. I was just, if you like, gratuitously adding that to the information. If somebody is applying for benefits and they have debts as well as liquid assets and savings, they may in fact reduce the amount of their indebtedness, whether it be in terms of a credit card or a mortgage, et cetera, with their liquid assets. Therefore, it is their net worth that is taken into account by the department in assessing their entitlement to benefits.