12. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does Working for Families treat vulnerable children equally, regardless of the source of their parents’ income?
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I understand that this is the very matter that is before the courts presently. This is the nub of the issue that is before the courts. Therefore, as I said earlier in response to Metiria Turei’s supplementary question to question No. 2, under Standing Orders 111 and 371(4) I believe that it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this stage.
Metiria TureiI raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The question did not concern the in-work tax credit—which is the matter, I understand, that the Minister considers to be before the courts and therefore cannot be commented on—but was specifically about Working for Families. It was not about the in-work tax credit.
Mr SPEAKERWhether it is in the public interest to answer a question is a matter for the Minister to decide, not the Speaker. The Minister’s judgment is that this question links sufficiently closely to a matter that is before the court that he has decided it is not in the public interest for him to answer it in the way it was asked. Only the Minister can make that judgment, not the Speaker.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Does she agree that every child deserves the best possible start in life; if so, why does she persist with a policy that makes it harder for the children of beneficiaries to have this start than other children?
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Will she consider adopting the Australian approach and make family tax credits available to families whether or not the parents are in paid work, so that children are not penalised if their parents lose their work?