2.1
This chapter lists the key issues considered by the committee during the committee’s 2022–23 budget estimates hearings. Page numbers of the Proof Hansard transcript for that day’s hearing are indicated in brackets as a reference.
Social Services portfolio hearing – 8 November 2022
2.2
Mr Ray Griggs AO CSC, Secretary of the Department of Social Services (DSS), was joined by departmental officials to discuss matters relating to social security.
Whole of portfolio and corporate matters
2.3
Senator the Hon Tim Ayres made a brief opening statement about the government’s 2022–23 budget measures for Social Services and key priorities.
2.4
Topics discussed for DSS, whole of portfolio and corporate matters included:
the government’s commitment in the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children (National Plan) to review the adequacy of the JobSeeker payment at each budget (p. 8);
findings from the first week of the Robodebt Royal Commission hearings
(p. 12); and
DSS’ understanding of the Australian Public Service (APS) code of conduct and ministerial code of conduct in relation to procedures and guidelines for APS staff secondees (pp. 13–14).
Outcome 1: Social Security
2.5
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 1 included:
the increase in income support payments in line with indexation (p. 21);
enhancement of the government’s paid parental leave measure (p. 22);
the role of the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce in briefing the government about shared paid parental leave (p. 23);
increases in the pensioner work bonus and review of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and date of implementation (p. 23); and
unpaid child support and its impact on recipients who are owed child support debts (p. 24).
Outcome 2: Families and Communities
2.6
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 2 included:
the collection of data pertaining to the unmet need for family and domestic violence frontline services and the role of the national partnership with states and territories to harness data collection mechanisms (p. 25);
funding arrangements for legal assistance providers under the Temporary Visa Holders Experiencing Violence Pilot extension (p. 29);
men’s behavioural change programs as a welcomed focus of the National Plan and how the department collects information about the demand for men’s behaviour change services (p. 30);
data in relation to waiting times for referrals and the number of contacts to sexual assault trauma counselling services such as 1800RESPECT (p. 32); and
the Escaping Violence Program and associated payments for providers to meet the costs of program implementation (p. 33).
Outcome 4: Housing and Homelessness
2.7
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 4 included:
the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement and lack of Commonwealth oversight following the Productivity Commission’s review (p. 34);
supply of social housing dwellings and the role of population growth in determining the number of social dwellings needed to meet the needs of the community (pp. 35–36);
cost and affordability of private rentals and how the government’s development of its housing and homelessness plan will address such issues (p. 41);
increase to the Commonwealth Rent Assistance (p. 42);
Safe Places program to support the building, renovation or purchase of additional emergency accommodation (p. 43); and
state-based issues around social housing investments and interest repayments to Commonwealth loans (pp. 44–45).
Social Services portfolio agencies
Australian Institute of Family Studies
2.8
The Hon Dr Sharman Stone, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), provided an opening statement about AIFS’ current state of research into factors that affect Australian families’ wellbeing (pp. 5–6).
2.9
Dr Rae Kaspiew, Research Director, Systems and Services, AIFS, also made an opening statement in relation to AIFS’ research into the impact of online gambling in Australia, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic (p. 16).
2.10
Topics discussed for AIFS included:
AIFS’ involvement in developing the measures of the first framework for the National Plan, including the influence of their research on informing government objectives (p. 15);
the role of the Australian Gambling Research Centre in illustrating the longitudinal impact of online gambling in Australia and the prevalence of problem gambling in young adults (p. 16); and
findings contained in the AIFS-led National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study in addressing the issue of Aboriginal elder abuse in the Australian community (p. 17).
Hearing Australia
2.11
Mr Kim Terrell, Managing Director, represented Hearing Australia.
2.12
Topics discussed for Hearing Australia included:
the impact of COVID-19 on Hearing Australia’s staff and operations (p. 18);
the role of Hearing Australia’s Hearing Assessment Program – Early Ears (HAPEE) for improving the hearing health of First Nations children aged zero to six (p. 19);
collaboration with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and early childcare providers to support community needs (pp. 19–20);
the impact of hearing bus services to raise awareness of the importance of hearing health across Australia (p. 20); and
the role of the National Acoustics Laboratories as the research arm of Hearing Australia and their collaboration with domestic and international partners (such as Apple and Google) to come forward with innovative approaches to improve hearing health outcomes for people with hearing loss (p. 20).
Health and Aged Care portfolio hearing – 8 November 2022
2.13
Professor Brendan Murphy AC, Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), was joined by departmental officials to discuss matters relating to the department.
Whole of portfolio and corporate matters
2.14
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, whole of portfolio and corporate matters included:
the Nurse Immunisers Program as a temporary model for immunisation in residential aged care settings and issues retaining these trained nurses
(p. 53);
the inclusion of endorsed midwives in the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce to ensure balanced perspectives (p. 54);
the Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Reference Group as an established mechanism by which all of the peak nursing and midwifery bodies consult on a regular basis and share information (p. 55);
current APS staffing levels (p. 56); and
advertising campaigns during COVID-19 in relation to immunisation and COVID spaces (p. 58).
Outcome 1: Health Policy, Access and Support
2.15
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, Outcome 1 included:
augmentation of urgent care clinics across Australia and leveraging the additional $100 million investment in primary care and hospitals (p. 81); and
stronger involvement of primary care nurses and allied health to perform primary-care-level assessments to help alleviate the pressure on emergency departments (p. 87).
Outcome 3: Ageing and Aged Care
2.16
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, Outcome 3 included:
adequacy of current funding arrangements for aged care providers and its impact on their work (p. 60);
increase in the provision of care minutes and 24/7 nursing (p. 62);
changes to the chronic disease management Medicare items during the pandemic (p. 64);
shortfalls in the care economy and the extent to which wage incentives will attract new workers to the care workforce (p. 69);
implementation of a fee cap, in particular brokerage fees under existing home care programs including the new Support at Home Program (p. 70);
food standards in residential aged care facilities (p. 71);
Health and Aged Care portfolio agencies
National Blood Authority
2.17
Mr John Cahill, Chief Executive, represented the National Blood Authority and discussed matters relating to blood sampling and the presence of COVID-19 antibodies (p. 74).
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
2.18
Dr Raj Bhula, Gene Technology Regulator, represented the office and was joined by officials from the DoHAC to discuss genotoxicity studies prior to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines (p. 76).
National Mental Health Commission
2.19
Ms Christine Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, represented the National Mental Health Commission and discussed the impact of COVID-19 and natural disasters on psychological wellbeing and mental health and how the pandemic amplified social disconnection and loneliness (p. 78).
Social Services portfolio hearing – 9 November 2022
2.20
Mr Ray Griggs AO CSC, Secretary of DSS, was joined by departmental officials to discuss matters relating to social security.
Outcome 1: Social Security
2.21
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 1 included:
the differences between the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (p. 6);
income support payment and insurance claims in relation to policy offset clauses (p. 7);
implementation of the National Plan to address family violence in remote Indigenous communities (p. 8);
the importance of the Closing the Gap target in the National Plan as a means to ending all forms of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (p. 9); and
measuring the Centrepay population (p. 12).
Outcome 2: Family and Communities
2.22
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 2 included:
the $250 million emergency relief provision in the context of COVID-19 and recent flooding events, including underspends (p. 21);
financial administration of the Escaping Violence Payment (p. 33);
employment of 500 additional frontline staff and community workers to support people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence (p. 38);
update on the National Redress Scheme (NRS) and the institutions refusing to join the NRS (pp. 45–47); and
the abolition of the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) and the implementation of the Enhanced Income Management Card (pp. 47–52).
Outcome 3: Disability and Carers
2.23
Topics discussed for DSS, Outcome 3 included:
employment outcomes of Disability Employment Services (DES) in light of the pandemic and current economic climate (pp. 59–60);
addressing barriers for people with disability to participate in employment opportunities (p. 60); and
the government’s partnership with the Business Council of Australia to increase the number of businesses engaging people with disability (p. 60).
Social Services portfolio agencies
Domestic, Family and Family Violence Commission
2.24
Ms Micaela Cronin, Commissioner, represented the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission (DFSVC).
2.25
Topics discussed for the DFSVC included:
the role of the Commissioner, including their commitment to being a voice for victims and survivors, providing policy advice to the government and contributing to the monitoring and evaluation of the National Plan (p. 18); and
the achievability of ending violence against Australia’s women and children within a generation (p. 19).
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
2.26
Ms Tracy Mackey, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner, was joined by officials from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
2.27
Topics discussed for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission included:
increases in the number of participant complaints (p. 66);
the Commission’s new triage and intake functions to address complaints and reportable incidents (p. 66); and
the role of the Commission beyond service provision for participants (p. 68).
National Disability Insurance Agency
2.28
Ms Rebecca Falkingham, Chief Executive Officer, was joined by officials from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
2.29
Topics discussed for the NDIA included:
phoenixing behaviours among care organisations and key management personnel and its impact on participants (p. 72);
current data and active consequence management policies in relation to the May 2022 CTARS data breach for participants whose information had been compromised (pp. 77–78, p. 90);
the provision of sex workers under NDIS plans (p. 81);
ongoing sustainability of the NDIS (p. 91);
resourcing constraints experienced by advocacy and legal representatives (p. 98); and
reducing Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) cases through alternative approaches like the Independent Expert Review (IER) pilot (p. 101).
Services Australia
2.30
Senator the Hon Don Farrell made an opening statement about the critical work of Services Australia in providing financial and on-the-ground support to Australians, particularly in the wake of recent flooding events across
south-east Australia (p. 104).
2.31
Ms Rebecca Skinner PSM, Chief Executive Officer, was joined by officials from Services Australia.
2.32
Topics discussed for Services Australia included:
recent data breaches related to Medicare and Medibank (p. 104);
Services Australia’s management and administration of the Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Recovery Allowance (pp. 115–116);
procurement arrangements concerning the implementation of remote services capability, such as ICT capability, to aid transitions away from the CDC in the Northern Territory (p. 110);
vaccine injury claims (p. 114);
mutual obligations and vaccine mandates that are in effect in parts of the private sector as a condition of work (p. 115);
time limitations to pursuing debt recovery following the debt pause during the pandemic (p. 117);
ordinary processes for compliance checks and frameworks for businesses using Centrepay (pp. 118–119); and
update of the Royal Commission into Robodebt (p. 121).
Health and Aged Care portfolio hearing – 10 November 2022
2.33
Professor Brendan Murphy AC, Secretary of the DoHAC, was joined by departmental representatives.
Outcome 1: Health Policy, Access and Support
2.34
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, Outcome 1 included:
excess mortality position in Australia due to COVID-19 (pp. 52–54);
the regulation of vaping and liquid nicotine products (pp. 54–55, 57 and 60–62);
provisional approval pathways and clinical trialling in relation to COVID-19 vaccination and treatment (pp. 58–60); and
patient exemptions regarding Psilocybin and methylenedioxymethamphetamine use (pp. 62–64).
advice in relation to vaccination dosage (pp. 74–75);
the Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022–2032 (p. 76);
actions being taken in relation to fraudulent Medicare claims (pp. 79–81);
the effects of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy (pp. 84–85);
funding associated with the Australian National Preventative Health Agency special account (pp. 85–86);
ongoing communication campaigns in relation to mask wearing (p. 88); and
specific funding related to ‘long COVID’ (pp. 89–90).
Outcome 3: Ageing and Aged Care
2.35
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, Outcome 3 included:
progression status on the reform of the Aged Care Act 1997 (pp. 93–95);
data relating to workforce shortages, staffing in facilities and overall care minutes (pp. 95–97);
the implementation of the Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 (pp. 99–100);
the defunding of the peak body of palliative care, Palliative Care Australia (pp. 105–106);
eligibility and access to the Commonwealth Home Support Program (pp. 106–107);
the prevalence of COVID-19 outbreaks within aged care facilities
(pp. 107–108); and
food and nutritional standards within aged care facilities (pp. 109–113); and
the process in handling complaints of varying complexity and volume
(pp. 113–117).
Outcome 4: Sport and Recreation
2.36
Topics discussed for the DoHAC, Outcome 4 included:
modelling and approximate cost to the Commonwealth for the 2032 Olympic Games (pp. 120–121);
updates on the Australian Institute of Sport upgrades (pp. 122–123);
match fixing issues with particular reference to the Australian Sports Wagering Scheme (p. 124); and
the ‘Sporting Schools’ initiative (pp. 125–126).
Department of Health and Aged Care portfolio agencies
2.37
Professor Brendan Murphy AC, Secretary of the DoHAC, was joined by relevant agency representatives.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
2.38
Mr Martin Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), appeared along with officers from AHPRA.
2.39
Topics discussed for AHPRA included:
the regulations to ensure overall patient safety (p. 8);
AHPRA’s allocated annual budget and staffing fixtures (p. 9);
barriers in relation to the registration of new skilled migrants (pp. 9–10);
the length of denture and dental care waiting lists for those under the age of 18 and over the age of 65 within the public and private sectors (p. 18);
suspensions of practitioners’ registrations due to raising concerns related to the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations (pp. 40–41);
the independent review into the Australian cosmetic industry (p. 44); and
the regulation of human research ethics with reference to transvaginal urogynaecological mesh implants (pp. 47–48).
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
2.40
Dr Sandy Cuthbert, Chief Executive Officer of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), was joined by officers of FSANZ.
2.41
Topics discussed with FSANZ included:
the way the FSANZ operates within its jurisdictions (pp. 21–22);
the structure and composition of the FSANZ Act 1991 (pp. 20–21); and
medical implications in relation to the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy (p. 22).
National Rural Health Commissioner
2.42
Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart represented the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner (NRHC).
2.43
Topics discussed for the NRHC included:
access to maternity services in rural areas (pp. 23–25);
the research, modelling and determination of health workforce shortages with particular reference to rural, regional and remote areas (pp. 26–30);
the operation and roll-out of the HECS-HELP scheme (p. 31); and
updates on the Murrumbidgee employment model (p. 33).
National Health Funding Body
2.44
Mr Shannon White, Chief Executive Officer, represented the National Health Funding Body (NHFB).
2.45
Topics discussed for the NHFB included:
the continuation and arrangements of the fifty-fifty national partnership agreement in relation to hospital funding as a result of COVID-19
(pp. 34–37); and
the future budget allocation relating to increased hospital services given the increased demand (pp. 37–39).
Australian Digital Health Agency
2.46
Ms Amanda Cattermole, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), appeared along with officers from the ADHA.
2.47
Topics discussed with the ADHA included:
the usage and uptake of the My Health Record system (pp. 66–67); and
the status of removing fax machines from the healthcare system (pp. 67–68).
National Health and Medical Research Council
2.48
Professor Anne Kelso, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), appeared with officers from the NHMRC and were questioned about the gain-of-function research review.
Social Services portfolio spill over hearing – 15 December 2022
Social Services portfolio agencies
National Disability Insurance Agency
2.49
Secretary of DSS, Mr Ray Griggs AO CSC, was joined by officials from the NDIA.
2.50
Topics discussed for the NDIA included:
monthly and quarterly summaries of the number of NDIS participants
(pp. 2–3);
consultation process around the DES Connect Program and the estimated number of participant involvement (p. 8);
month-by-month breakdown of the cost of the NDIS (p. 10);
the role of the IER pilot to reduce the number of AAT cases and appeals, including the involvement of the initial early resolution team (p. 11);
the work of the NDIS’ Fraud Taskforce and the projected amount of money the NDIA is anticipating on recovering (p. 12); and
the number of staff involved in giving evidence to the Royal Commission into Robodebt (p. 13).
Senator Marielle Smith
Chair