Senator SESELJA (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (18:34): I table a response to a question taken on notice asked by Senator Gallacher on 22 February 2021 relating to the JobMaker hiring credit scheme. I seek leave to have the answer incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer read as follows— Dear Mr President I write with regard to a question I took on notice from Senator Gallacher during Question Time, Monday 22 February 2021, on the matter of the JobMaker Hiring Credit Scheme. I can advise that eligible employers can access the JobMaker Hiring Credit for each eligible additional employee they hire between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021. From 6 December 2020, employers were able to register with the ATO for the Hiring Credit. Once registered, employers can claim payments from the ATO in arrears from 1 February 2021. The claim period for first quarter (7 October 2020 to 6 January 2021) only opened at the start of this month and employers have until 30 April 2021 to lodge a claim. At this early stage, accurate data on the number of claims and the value of payments is not available. Accurate data will be available in due course. I have copied this letter to the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and Senator Gallacher. Yours sincerely Simon Birmingham Minister for Finance