Senator CHRIS EVANS(8.58 p.m.) —I want to make a couple of quick points in response to the minister. I think the debate did not relate to the amendment before us currently, which is the amendment to clause 9. I make the point that the minister sets up this straw person argument which is that, for the first time, we are going to give priority to those most in need. Well she is introducing nothing new. Of course, as she says, all governments have provided extra services and more services to those most in need, and the previous Labor government provided intensive assistance to the long-term unemployed.

What she does not articulate is that what this bill is all about is removing services provided to unemployed people since 1946, removing basic labour exchange services from 400,000 people currently registered. That is what it is about. That is not about prioritising assistance, Minister. That is about removing a fundamental service, guaranteed by our ILO obligations and supported on a bipartisan basis for the last 50 years, from 400,000 Australians who need those services.

That is what that is about and this argument about putting the most in need first is a straw person argument. It is nonsense because it has always been done. It will always be done. No-one is arguing that point with you. You try to set it up as if that is what this is about. It is not about that at all. Nothing in any of the amendments stops you from providing intensive assistance to those classified as being most in need of assistance. But what these amendments do, is insist that the basic community service obligation of providing labour exchange services to all Australians seeking work is maintained, that the service we have been able to maintain through depression and boom for the last 50 years continues to be maintained.