One Nation shines light on JobKeeper accountability and calls for overpayments to be recovered
MEDIA RELEASE
2 September 2021
Publicly-listed companies which have received JobKeeper payments will be held to account for their claims under a One Nation amendment to treasury legislation was passed in the Senate today with the support of the government, the Opposition and independent senator Rex Patrick.
One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson said the amendment, requiring listed entities to provide JobKeeper payment information to be published by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), was an important first step towards accountability.
“We want the government held accountable for the poor design of JobKeeper, along with JobKeeper recipients who enriched themselves at taxpayers’ expense,” Senator Hanson said.
“Listed entities will be required to provide a notice to market regulators disclosing the number of individuals for whom JobKeeper was received, the total received, and whether the entity had voluntarily paid any of the money back.
“This information would then be published by ASIC in a consolidated report. Listed entities’ financial details are a matter of public record, so they can be matched with the report to determine if entities have enriched their executives at taxpayers’ expense.”
Senator Hanson said unsuccessful amendments moved by Labor and independent senator Rex Patrick failed to implement real accountability.
“They were transparency measures which didn’t lead to accountability, and One Nation was concerned it was little more than a naming and shaming exercise conscripting the public to put undue pressure on the small businesses which have borne the brunt of lockdowns,” she said.
“It was essentially grandstanding that would not produce any real accountability outcomes, but potentially lead to unintended negative consequences. I challenged Labor to introduce their own amendment to recover JobKeeper overpayments, but they’re too gutless.”
Senator Hanson also called on the government to introduce legislation addressing the poor design of JobKeeper.
“JobKeeper legislation needs to be amended to introduce some retrospectivity and enable the recovery of JobKeeper overpayments,” she said.
