Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2)

Current status

This bill became law on Dec 4th, 2025.

Policy area

Welfare & housing

What does this bill do?

Validates and regulates historic income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. for employment income earned, derived or received between 1 July 1991 and 6 December 2020, while stating that Robodebt income averaging is not validated.

Why was it introduced?

The government introduced the bill to settle the legal and administrative legacy of income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income., reform debt waivers and reduce low-value debt work in Services Australia. The explanatory memorandum says the bill validates historic calculations, sets future methods for pre-2020 income, expands special-circumstances waivers, raises and indexes the small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation. threshold, and creates the Income Apportionment Resolution SchemeA scheme created by schedule 3 for resolution payments to people whose debts were affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020..

Broader context

The Act sits in the post-Robodebt debate about lawful, humane administration of social security debts. Supporters framed it as a practical repair: waiving small and coerced debts, resolving historic income-apportionment uncertainty, and avoiding a mass recalculation exercise. Critics argued that retrospective validation and capped payments fell short of justice, and that the late-added schedule 5 benefit restriction powers deserved separate scrutiny.

Key criticism

Criticism focused on two issues. First, Greens and crossbench senators argued that retrospective validation and capped resolution payments did not fully remedy unlawful income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income.. Second, Greens, independent senators and external groups cited in debate criticised schedule 5 benefit restriction notices as late-added, insufficiently scrutinised and risky for presumption of innocence and vulnerable people.

Who supported it?

Tanya Plibersek MP introduced this bill. It passed with support from Labor, Liberal Party; opposed by Greens, One Nation, Australia's Voice, some crossbench members.

Introduced in House 04 Sept 2025
Passed House 29 Oct 2025
Passed Senate 26 Nov 2025 Aye 24 No 16
Became law 04 Dec 2025

Did it become law?

Yes

Became law 04 Dec 2025

Final passage

Recorded final vote

1 counted final-passage vote was recorded.

Passage speed

91 days

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

What does this bill do?

  1. Validates and regulates historic income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. for employment income earned, derived or received between 1 July 1991 and 6 December 2020, while stating that Robodebt income averaging is not validated.

  2. Creates an Income Apportionment Resolution SchemeA scheme created by schedule 3 for resolution payments to people whose debts were affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020. for people with affected debts from 20 September 2003 to 6 December 2020, with the detailed scheme to be set by legislative instrument.

  3. Expands special-circumstances debt waivers so decision-makers can better account for coercion, financial abuse and comparable situations when a debt involved false statements, failures or omissions.

  4. Raises the small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation. threshold to $250, indexes it annually, and waives recovery of certain small undetermined amounts already recorded in Services Australia systems.

  5. As passed, adds schedule 5 benefit restriction noticeA notice created by schedule 5 that can restrict certain payments in specified arrest-warrant situations involving relevant AFP or ASIO minister action. powers allowing relevant ministers to restrict certain social security, family assistance and paid parental leave payments for people with specified arrest warrants.

Show source excerpts
  1. Division 2 does not validate any income averaging which was done in accordance with the debt assessment and recovery scheme known as Robodebt nor extinguish any causes of action in respect of an accrued general law right.
    Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Act 2025 final Act text
  2. Schedule 3 establishes the Resolution Scheme to provide resolution payments to persons whose debts have been affected by income apportionment from 20 September 2003 to 6 December 2020 inclusive.
    Explanatory memorandum
  3. Expand the instances in which the special circumstances waiver may be applied to waive debts incurred under each respective Act.
    Explanatory memorandum
  4. Increase the threshold for waiving a small debt up to the value of $250 and annually index the waiver threshold to the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
    Explanatory memorandum
  5. Schedule 5—Benefit restriction notices Part 1—Social Security Act amendments Social Security Act 1991
    Final Act text

Broader context for this bill

The Act sits in the post-Robodebt debate about lawful, humane administration of social security debts. Supporters framed it as a practical repair: waiving small and coerced debts, resolving historic income-apportionment uncertainty, and avoiding a mass recalculation exercise. Critics argued that retrospective validation and capped payments fell short of justice, and that the late-added schedule 5 benefit restriction powers deserved separate scrutiny.

  1. 01 July 1991

    Income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. period begins

    The Act deals with employment income earned, derived or received between 1 July 1991 and 6 December 2020, the period relevant to historic income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. validation and future treatment rules.

    Final Act text ↗
  2. 06 Dec 2020

    Historic income-apportionment period ends

    The bill and explanatory memorandum use 6 December 2020 as the end date for the historic income-apportionment period addressed by the legislation.

    Explanatory memorandum ↗
  3. 04 Sept 2025

    Bill introduced and referred to committee

    The bill was introduced in the House and referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, with a report date recorded as 21 October 2025.

    APH bill page notes ↗
  4. 29 Oct 2025

    House amendments add Schedule 5

    The House agreed to government amendments that added benefit restriction noticeA notice created by schedule 5 that can restrict certain payments in specified arrest-warrant situations involving relevant AFP or ASIO minister action. provisions as schedule 5, a change that later became the main focus of Senate criticism.

    Government House amendment sheet FE107 and APH progress record ↗
  5. 04 Dec 2025

    Act receives Royal Assent

    The bill became Act No. 79 of 2025 after Royal Assent on 4 December 2025.

    Federal Register of Legislation metadata in local source bundle ↗

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 04 Sept 2025

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 04 Sept 2025

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Community Affairs review 04 Sept 2025

The bill was referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Committee report (21/10/2025).

Referred to committee

APH bill page notes
Human Rights review 02 Oct 2025

The local APH notes record consideration by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights in Report 5 of 2025.

Considered by scrutiny committee

Second reading debate 27 Oct 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House second reading agreed 27 Oct 2025

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

House agreed to amendment packages 29 Oct 2025

The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

House third reading agreed 29 Oct 2025

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.

Third reading agreed to

Scrutiny of Bills review 29 Oct 2025

The local APH notes record consideration by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills in Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025.

Considered by scrutiny committee

Introduced 03 Nov 2025

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 03 Nov 2025

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 05 Nov 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate second reading agreed 24 Nov 2025

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Senate agreed to amendment packages 24 Nov 2025

The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.

Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where detailed amendments to a bill are debated and voted on after the second reading. debate

Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where detailed amendments to a bill are debated and voted on after the second reading. debate 25 Nov 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where detailed amendments to a bill are debated and voted on after the second reading. debate 26 Nov 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate third reading agreed Aye 24 No 16 26 Nov 2025

Recorded vote: 24 to 16.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

House agreed to Senate amendments 26 Nov 2025

The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.

Consideration of Senate message

Passed both houses 26 Nov 2025

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Assent 04 Dec 2025

The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.

The main case against this bill

Criticism focused on two issues. First, Greens and crossbench senators argued that retrospective validation and capped resolution payments did not fully remedy unlawful income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income.. Second, Greens, independent senators and external groups cited in debate criticised schedule 5 benefit restriction notices as late-added, insufficiently scrutinised and risky for presumption of innocence and vulnerable people.

Coalition speakers supported passage while raising scrutiny and implementation concerns. Government speakers said the bill was a practical way to resolve old debts, protect victim-survivors and use narrow schedule 5 powers for serious cases.

Retrospective validation

Greens speakers argued that validating historic income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. would deny people a full remedy for an unlawful practice.

Raised by Penny Allman-Payne and David Shoebridge Source ↗

Resolution payments too low

The Greens second-reading amendment said the proposed payment amounts would leave many people with less than their overpayment and would not compensate additional harm or inconvenience.

Raised by Penny Allman-Payne, on behalf of the Australian Greens Source ↗

Schedule 5 scrutiny and rights concerns

Independent and Greens senators argued that benefit restriction noticeA notice created by schedule 5 that can restrict certain payments in specified arrest-warrant situations involving relevant AFP or ASIO minister action. powers were inserted late, should have been split into a separate bill or inquiry, and risked punishing people before guilt was determined.

Raised by David Pocock, Lidia Thorpe, Penny Allman-Payne and Tammy Tyrrell Source ↗

Operational detail

Coalition speakers supported the bill but said more detail was needed on the resolution schemeA scheme created by schedule 3 for resolution payments to people whose debts were affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020., interaction with existing compensation processes, special-circumstances waiverA power to waive certain social security, family assistance, paid parental leave or student assistance debts when special circumstances justify not recovering the debt. criteria and any criminal-conviction implications.

Raised by Angie Bell and Kerrynne Liddle Source ↗

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.

Passed

House passed the bill

House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.

29 Oct 2025

Passed on the voices

In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.

Carried

Senate passed the bill

Aye 24 No 16

Passed 24 to 16. Support came from Labor and Liberal Party. Opposition came from Greens, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.

26 Nov 2025

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 21 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Independent 0 / 3
Liberal Party 3 / 0
One Nation 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 0 / 1

Earlier bill-stage votes

Carried

Income-apportionment validation kept

Aye 25 No 15

Passed 25 to 15. Support came from Labor and Liberal Party. Opposition came from Greens, Australia's Voice, One Nation, and minor parties and independents.

25 Nov 2025

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 22 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Independent 0 / 3
Liberal Party 3 / 0
Australia's Voice 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1

Amendments at a glance

Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.

House

Carried

Six-year debt recovery time limit

Would add a six-year limit on recovery action for family assistance, social security and student assistance debts, measured from when the overpayment was made.

29 Oct 2025

Would add a six-year limit on recovery action for family assistance, social security and student assistance debts, measured from when the overpayment was made.

Passed on the voices

The chamber agreed to this amendment without a counted vote — the presiding officer judged the ayes louder than the noes, and no member called for a division.

Carried

House accepted all Senate amendments

The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.

Carried on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Carried

Government package: 24 amendments

APH records 24 Government amendments agreed on the voices. The public amendment list groups them into 1 amendment sheet, so this page summarizes the package by source theme.

29 Oct 2025

Passed on the voices

The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.

Themes in the public amendment sheets

Senate

Defeated

Resolution payment criticism defeated

Aye 14 No 24

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 14 to 24. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party.

24 Nov 2025

Defeated 14-24; the Senate did not attach the Greens criticism before moving on.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Motion to split Schedule 5 defeated

Aye 18 No 24

Moved by David Pocock (Crossbench). Defeated 18 to 24. Support came from Greens, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party.

24 Nov 2025

Defeated 18-24; schedule 5 stayed in the bill.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
One Nation 4 / 0
Independent 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Retrospective validation removal defeated

Aye 16 No 25

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 16 to 25. Support came from Greens, One Nation, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

25 Nov 2025

Defeated 16-25; retrospective validation remained in the bill.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 2 / 1
One Nation 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Six-year debt recovery limit defeated

Aye 15 No 26

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 15 to 26. Support came from Greens, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 15-26; the Greens debt-recovery time limit was not added.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 4
Independent 2 / 0
One Nation 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Broader special-circumstances waiver defeated

Aye 12 No 28

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 12 to 28. Support came from Greens and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 12-28; the bill’s narrower waiver changes remained.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
Independent 1 / 1
One Nation 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

$440 small-debt waiver threshold defeated

Aye 13 No 27

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 13 to 27. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and One Nation.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 13-27; the bill’s $250 threshold remained.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
One Nation 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

1991 resolution scheme start date defeated

Aye 12 No 28

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 12 to 28. Support came from Greens and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 12-28; eligibility remained tied to debts from 20 September 2003.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
Independent 1 / 1
One Nation 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Three-year scheme application window defeated

Aye 16 No 26

Moved by Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens). Defeated 16 to 26. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Sean Bell (One Nation) voted no. One Nation had split recorded votes.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 16-26; the application period was left to the scheme settings.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
One Nation 2 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated

Schedule 5 safeguard amendments defeated

Aye 14 No 28

Moved by David Pocock (Crossbench). Defeated 14 to 28. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and UAP.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 14-28; the additional advice requirement was not added.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 24
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1
Defeated

Schedule 5 committee referral defeated

Aye 15 No 25

Moved by David Pocock (Crossbench). Defeated 15 to 25. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party.

26 Nov 2025

Defeated 15-25; schedule 5 was not sent to a new inquiry before passage.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 3 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 3
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Carried

Senate amendment agreed

The Senate Journal records this outcome as carried on voices.

Carried on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Carried

Government package: 10 amendments

APH records 10 Government amendments agreed on the voices. The public amendment list groups them into 1 amendment sheet, so this page summarizes the package by source theme.

24 Nov 2025

Passed on the voices

The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.

Themes in the public amendment sheets

This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Tanya Plibersek

Australian Labor Party • MP 04 Sept 2025

Tanya Plibersek introduced the bill as a social security debt reform package: validating historical income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income., creating a resolution schemeA scheme created by schedule 3 for resolution payments to people whose debts were affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020., expanding debt waivers for special circumstances including coercive control, and lifting the small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation. threshold to $250.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead opposing voice Opposes

Penny Allman-Payne

Australian Greens • Senator 05 Nov 2025

Penny Allman-Payne opposed the bill, arguing that retrospective validation and capped resolution payments failed to provide justice for people affected by unlawful income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income..

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

Kate Chaney

Independent • MP 27 Oct 2025

Kate Chaney supported the bill, especially the higher small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation. and broader special-circumstances waiverA power to waive certain social security, family assistance, paid parental leave or student assistance debts when special circumstances justify not recovering the debt. for victim-survivors of family, domestic and financial abuse.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead non-major voice Mixed

David Pocock

Independent • Senator 24 Nov 2025

David Pocock moved to split schedule 5 into a separate bill so the benefit-restriction notice powers could be sent to a committee inquiry, citing concerns about presumption of innocence and lack of scrutiny.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

17 speakers · 18 contributions · 17 support

  1. Tim Ayres Tim Ayres moved the second reading in the Senate and tabled a revised explanatory memorandum; the incorporated material repeated the government case for validating income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income., expanding waivers and establishing the resolution schemeA scheme created by schedule 3 for resolution payments to people whose debts were affected by income apportionment between 20 September 2003 and 6 December 2020..
    “I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025, and I move:”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 03 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Basem Abdo Basem Abdo supported the bill as a fairer social security debt package that would reduce small-debt backlogs, assist victim-survivors and create a payment scheme for people affected by income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income..
    “Australians should never be punished for seeking in good faith the help that their government offers them to manage life's challenges.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Gabriel Ng Gabriel Ng supported the bill as a technical but important repair to social security debt administration, especially for people facing small debts, coercion or historical income-apportionment issues.
    “The Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering a fairer, more efficient social security system that Australians can trust.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Zaneta Mascarenhas Zaneta Mascarenhas supported the bill, stressing that social security should treat people with respect while resolving small debts, coercive debt and historic income-apportionment problems.
    “This bill fixes technical problems that have lingered for years.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Madonna Jarrett Madonna Jarrett supported the bill, arguing that it would reduce stress from small debts, improve protections for financial abuse survivors and handle income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. in a practical way.
    “This bill will also increase the threshold for waiving small debts for the first time in over 30 years.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Sarah Witty Sarah Witty supported the bill as a reform that would lift the small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation., reduce administrative burden and better protect people affected by family and domestic violence.
    “With this bill, the Albanese Labor government is delivering a fairer, more efficient and more compassionate social security system.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  7. Claire Clutterham Claire Clutterham backed the bill as a practical Labor reform to reduce stress from small debts, improve treatment of family violence survivors and rebuild trust after unlawful or unfair debt practices.
    “this bill is a significant step towards a fairer, more efficient social security system that better supports Australians when they need it most.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  8. Ash Ambihaipahar Ash Ambihaipahar supported the bill as a dignity-focused social security reform, with emphasis on family violence, small-debt waivers and the practical limits of reopening decades of income-apportionment decisions.
    “From 1991 to 2020 a method known as income apportionment was used to calculate debts.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  9. Carol Brown Carol Brown supported the bill as a Labor fairness measure, highlighting the debt waiver expansion, small-debt threshold and the government response to income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income..
    “I rise to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. It is a bill grounded in two of Labor's most enduring values—dignity and fairness.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  10. Jo Briskey Jo Briskey supported the bill as a fairness and dignity reform that would waive small debts, protect victim-survivors of financial abuse and provide a resolution path for historic income-apportionment debts.
    “For too long, too many Australians have faced unnecessary stress, confusion and, at times, outright injustice through the way our social security debts have been managed.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  11. Richard Dowling Richard Dowling supported the bill as a dignity and accountability reform that would address historical income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income., improve waiver rules and make the system more humane.
    “The Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025 may carry the word 'technical' in the title, but its purpose is anything but minor.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  12. Kara Cook Kara Cook supported the bill, highlighting family violence and coercive control protections, the higher indexed small-debt waiverA waiver for debts below a statutory threshold. This Act raises the relevant threshold to $250 and provides for annual CPI indexation. and the need for dignity in social security administration.
    “This bill is about more than numbers or technicalities. It's about people and it's about providing safety and justice.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  13. Jodie Belyea Jodie Belyea supported the bill, describing it as a humane debt reform that would stop Services Australia chasing uneconomic small debts and give victim-survivors a fairer path to waivers.
    “I rise today in strong support of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No.2) Bill 2025.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  14. Katy Gallagher Katy Gallagher opposed splitting schedule 5, arguing that the benefit-restriction power was narrowly targeted to serious violent or sexual offences and had been briefed to senators.
    “I've listened to those contributions. The government will not be supporting this contingent motion from Senator Pocock, and I will run through a little bit about why that is.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 24 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  15. Dorinda Cox Dorinda Cox supported the bill as a fair response to income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. and debt waiver problems, while arguing that Labor was repairing a system damaged by earlier Coalition approaches.
    “This bill addresses the legacy of income apportionment, a technical method used from the early 1990s to 2020 to calculate debts when pay slips didn't specify which workdays they applied to, and the courts have confirmed that this practice had no valid legal basis.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  16. Nita Green Nita Green supported the bill and summarised the government position that it would protect victim-survivors, resolve income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. and make social security debt administration fairer.
    “The bill expands access to the special circumstances waiver to protect victims-survivors of financial abuse and coercion.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Coalition

2 speakers · 2 mixed

  1. Kerrynne Liddle Kerrynne Liddle said the Coalition would support the bill in the Senate but raised concerns about scrutiny, operational detail, unresolved interaction with compensation processes and protections against misuse.
    “I rise today to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. The coalition will support this bill in the Senate today; however, we hold concerns about certain provisions that merit closer scrutiny.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Angie Bell Angie Bell said the Coalition would not oppose the bill in the House, but criticised the rushed scrutiny, unresolved operational details, lack of direct Ombudsman consultation and unanswered questions about criminal convictions and special-circumstances waivers.
    “The coalition will not oppose this bill in the House of Representatives; however, we do have significant concerns about aspects of the legislation that warrant further scrutiny.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Greens

2 speakers · 3 contributions · 2 oppose

  1. David Shoebridge David Shoebridge focused on opposing schedule 5, arguing that benefit restriction notices for people with outstanding arrest warrants amounted to punishment without trial and should not be added to the bill.
    “But I also rise to oppose schedule 5 of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025, which gives the power to cancel welfare payments for people with outstanding arrest warrants—not people who've been found guilty but simply with outstanding arrest warrants.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

One Nation

1 speaker · 1 oppose

  1. Malcolm Roberts Malcolm Roberts opposed the bill, calling it retrospective validation of unlawful income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income. and criticising Labor over its handling of Robodebt and social security debts.
    “So what do we have here? Labor wants to pass this bill to retrospectively validate the unlawful income apportionment method that underpinned the robodebt rip-off.”

    Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator • 05 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Minor parties and independents

5 speakers · 6 contributions · 2 support · 2 oppose · 1 mixed

  1. Lidia Thorpe Lidia Thorpe opposed schedule 5, saying it had been inserted without proper scrutiny and would breach rights, especially for Aboriginal people, women and families reliant on payments.
    “That's how people are feeling about this piece of legislation—the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. You snuck a section in without any scrutiny.”

    Independent • Senator • 24 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Allegra Spender Allegra Spender supported the bill, focusing on changes allowing debts caused by coercive control to be waived and on correcting unfair outcomes from historical income apportionmentA historic method of spreading employment income across entitlement periods when calculating social security payment rates or debts. The Act validates and regulates parts of that historic practice for pre-7 December 2020 income..
    “This change won't make headlines, but for those it effects it could mean everything.”

    Independent • MP • 27 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Tammy Tyrrell Tammy Tyrrell opposed the late addition of schedule 5, saying it denied consultation and threatened presumption of innocence and procedural fairness.
    “Once again the government has denied true, genuine consultation on important legislation.”

    Independent • Senator • 24 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

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