Senator WONG (7:31 PM) —Firstly, I will start with a number of questions for the minister, although I note that he does not appear to have any advisers here. I am not sure if he wants me to talk more generally for a period of time. I suppose the first issue would be the evidence that was presented to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiring into this legislation. A great many submitters discussed their concerns about the bill and, in particular, made the point that the government had not presented any evidence that shifting people onto a lower payment would in fact help them get a job or have any effect on increasing the participation rate.

The committee asked this question of the department on, I think, the Monday and the department took it on notice. On the Wednesday the department provided references to a few international studies—some of which looked at the effect of increasing income support payments and the effect that would have on labour force participation, which obviously in this situation is entirely irrelevant. The committee was also presented with evidence by the department of a study—which I understand the government does not rely on—on the possibility of theoretically abolishing the social security system and whether that would help people get work. Can the minister confirm that the government has undertaken no modelling, economic research or any research whatsoever that it is putting forward with this legislation to the Senate that demonstrates that a reduction in income support payments will actually lead to a rise in labour force participation?