List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

1.13
The committee recommends that the Senate adopt the following resolution:
That the Senate requires the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services to attend the Senate at the conclusion of question time on 6 October 2020 to provide an explanation, of no more than 10 minutes, of:
the government’s continued reliance on a rejected claim of public interest immunity in answers to questions on notice provided to the Community Affairs References Committee on 24 February 2020 in relation to the inquiry into Centrelink’s compliance program;
whether it was the intention of the Minister for Government Services, or of officers of Services Australia, to show disregard for the 11 February 2020 resolution of the Senate by providing answers relying on that rejected claim for public interest immunity; and
the Minister for Government Services’ failure to respond to that committee’s correspondence of 6 April 2020 seeking clarification in relation to this matter.

Recommendation 2

1.29
The committee recommends that the Senate adopt the following resolution requiring the production of documents:
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, by no later than 12.00pm on 6 October 2020, either:
revised responses to all questions relating to legal advice and the Income Compliance Program which have been subject to rejected claims of public interest immunity during the Community Affairs References Committee’s inquiry into Centrelink's compliance program; or
a letter confirming that these responses will provided in camera to the Community Affairs References Committee by no later than 5pm on that same day.
In the event that the Minister fails to table these documents, the Senate requires the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services to attend the Senate at the conclusion of question time on 6 October 2020 to provide an explanation of the Minister’s failure to table the documents.

Recommendation 3

1.43
The committee recommends that the Senate adopt the following resolution requiring the production of documents:
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, by no later than 12.00pm on 6 October 2020, either:
a copy of the Executive Minute to the Minister for Social Services, dated 12 February 2015, as referenced in the Commonwealth Ombudsman's April 2017 report into Centrelink’s automated debt raising and recovery system; or
a letter confirming that this Executive Minute will provided in camera to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee by no later than 5pm on that same day.
In the event that the Minister fails to table either of these documents, the Senate requires the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services to attend the Senate at the conclusion of question time on 6 October 2020 to provide an explanation of the Minister’s failure to table the document.

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Past Public Hearings

27 Aug 2021: Canberra
20 Aug 2021: Canberra
19 Aug 2021: Canberra