Opposition spokesman for family and community services Tony Abbott has called for all welfare-dependent families across the nation - black and white - to have half of their payments quarantined by government regardless of whether they are bad parents.

In a speech yesterday, Mr Abbott also said all mothers on welfare should have their baby bonus paid in instalments rather than a lump sum, and not just indigenous women and mothers aged under 18 .

He argued that if indigenous families in the Northern Territory were being forced to have their welfare controlled by the state so should all families.

Welfare payments are quarantined in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities which are subject to the emergency intervention.

The Howard government changed the baby bonus from a lump sum to incremental payments for all mothers under 18.

Since the election, the Minister for Families, Jenny Macklin, has announced a trial quarantining of the baby bonus for all people in the Kimberley in Western Australia. Parents identified as risks by state authorities would instead receive vouchers for essentials.

Mr Abbott said if quarantining was good enough for indigenous people, it was good enough for the rest of the population. "Why not set aside for the essentials of life half the government payments of all welfare-dependent people with young children?" he said.

"Quarantining 50 per cent of their government benefits could at least help to ensure a roof over their head and food on the table. This is the kind of policy a government of economic conservatives should at least consider."

Mr Abbott argued that the previous Howard Government had pushed the envelope on welfare reform and changed the notion of obligation.

He said the Howard government "was just beginning a new phase of welfare reform when it lost office. This wasn't so much designed to get people off welfare as to force them to face up to their responsibilities while on welfare".

Mr Abbott also suggested all mothers on welfare should have 100 per cent of the baby bonus quarantined.

"It probably should be paid automatically in instalments to all mothers who are substantially dependent on welfare. It could even, for welfare dependent mothers, be subjected to 100 per cent quarantine as the new Government intends for Cape York and the Kimberley. Again, if its right for indigenous people, why not for everyone?" Mr Abbott said.