In September 2023, the committee was given the function (under section 243AA of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999) to review compulsory enhanced income management and compulsory income management (collectively referred to as 'compulsory income management') for compatibility with human rights and report to the Parliament.

The committee must complete the first review by 4 September 2024, and subsequent reviews must be completed within three years thereafter.

The committee now seeks submissions, by 5 May 2024, as to the compatibility of compulsory income management with human rights, and in particular:

• whether compulsory income management has been effective in achieving its stated aims;
• whether compulsory income management has caused, or contributed to, beneficial and/or detrimental outcomes;
• the nature of any consultation undertaken with affected communities and groups in relation to the operation of compulsory income management;
• how in practice income management has been applied, including how individual exemptions from compulsory income management have been considered;
• the practical operation of the BasicsCard and SmartCard, particularly in remote communities; and
• the extent to which compulsorily restricting the spending of welfare payments is consistent with international human rights law, particularly the rights to social security, an adequate standard of living, equality and non-discrimination, a private life, and the rights of the child.

For information on how to make a submission, go to the Making a submission to a Parliamentary Inquiry page. Online submissions can be made via this webpage.

Please be aware that your submission is not automatically accepted and published and due to high workloads the committee may take several weeks to consider and process your submission.