Ms Zoe Hughes:

I just want to address a couple of the Senator's points. The universal basic income is not just about the level of pay; it is also about recognition of the work that family carers do. Obviously, what we are looking at is family carers. I have tried a few times to explain to family carers that they are not actually earning money for the work they provide to the State and that the money is seen as an income support to keep them out of basic poverty. It is a matter of understanding that it is not a payment and that it should be. Many family carers would like the recognition. It would mean an awful lot to people to be recognised as contributing work, which is what they do already. It involves a small language change but a language change can be really important.

The Senator asked what Departments should be involved. I would say all of them should be. Care is so cross-cutting that I do not believe there are any Departments or policy aspects that are not related to it in some way.