Senator HARRIS (9:35 PM) —I rise to place on the record again that One Nation supports the Democrats' amendment. In my speech on the second reading I raised the issue that a considerable proportion of these overpayments are incurred as a result of the departments themselves making an error. However, before I continue with that I would like to draw to Senator Patterson's attention the fact that, while it is not very often that she does get it wrong, she did most definitely get it wrong during her contribution. In relation to supporting the government's bill, I very specifically raised the issue of extending the time frame by 12 months and giving families two years to make a past claim. I also raised the fact that the time frame for the payment of the top-ups is extended for 12 months as well. The debate in this chamber is not about knocking for the sake of knocking. When the government does get it right, One Nation is very prepared to put that clearly on the public record—and the government has got it right with that extension of time.

Coming back to the amendment by the Democrats, the departments have the ability to sweep accounts, as I said earlier. They know what is in people's bank accounts. The example I gave was of a custodial parent who had not received child support payments for over two years, got that issue resolved and then found that the department had swept the bank accounts, removed the $6,000 and put that person back in exactly the position where they had been for the last two years.

The other reason that it is important that this amendment by the Democrats be supported is that it brings accountability to the department. It will make the department be more accurate in the determinations that they make because, if they do not, it is the department that comes into disrepute, not the person who has received the overpayment. We have a situation at present where the department could well say, `Well, gee, we got that wrong, but don't worry because we can just turn around and make the person pay it back.' With this amendment by the Democrats, this will stop because the department will have to get it right. They will have to be accurate. I believe it is socially unacceptable for people, through no fault of their own, receiving an overpayment to then be told by the department, `Gee, we got it wrong—let's have that payment back now.' This will resolve one of the major issues in relation to the legislation.