Save Search
    Prev   Next   Return to results listPrint ListEmail Document Link

Title

EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (WELFARE TO WORK AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL 2005

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (WELFARE TO WORK) BILL 2005

In Committee

Database

Senate Hansard

Date

06-12-2005

Source

Senate

Parl No.

41

Electorate

Western Australia

Interjector

Bartlett, Sen Andrew

Page

132

Party

AG

Presenter

 

Status

Final

Question No.

 

Questioner

 

Responder

 

Speaker

Siewert, Sen Rachel

Stage

In Committee

Type

 

Context

Bills

System Id

chamber/hansards/2005-12-06/0212


Note: Where available, the PDF/Word icon below is provided to view the complete and fully formatted document
 Download Current HansardDownload Current Hansard    View Or Save XMLView/Save XML

Previous Fragment    Next Fragment
Tuesday, 6 December 2005
Page: 132


Senator SIEWERT (8:47 PM) —I move Greens amendment (1) on sheet 4792:

(1)    Page 5, after line 5, after clause 3, add:

4 Public and independent review of income support provisions for people with disabilities and for sole parents

         (1)    The Minister must cause a review of the operation and effectiveness of the amendments made to Schedules 2 and 4 of this Act.

         (2)    The review must be undertaken as soon as possible after the second anniversary of the commencement of the amendments.

         (3)    The review is to be undertaken by a committee consisting of:

              (a)    a person nominated by the Australian Council of Social Services;

              (b)    a person with experience in disability support;

              (c)    a person with experience in crisis support;

              (d)    a person with experience in single parent advocacy;

              (e)    a person with experience in employment assistance.

         (4)    The review must provide for public submissions and public hearings as part of the review.

         (5)    The Minister must cause a copy of the report of the review to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 5 sitting days of that House after its receipt by the Minister.

I do not know if we want to discuss the Democrat amendment, which is similar to this one, at the same time.


Senator Bartlett —Yes.


Senator SIEWERT —This amendment is about amending the provision for review to ensure a public and independent review of this legislation. No matter whether you are on the government side, on the crossbenches or in the opposition, we have all been debating this legislation. The Australian Greens believe that this legislation will have a significant impact on our community, and I presume that the government is assuming the same thing. We probably differ in our opinions on what that impact will be. I am extremely concerned it will have a negative impact. One way or another, we need to review the impacts of this legislation on the Australian community.

We believe that that review needs to be independent and public. We are moving an amendment that seeks to ensure that the review is public and that it involves eminent independent people from various community organisations and people with expertise in this area so that we can be confident that we are getting an independent review. I do not wish to take up too much of the Senate’s time talking about this. I think the requirements for this are fairly obvious. Because I know there are a lot of other amendments that we want to get through tonight, I will leave my comments at that.