Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all those members who have spoken on the Social Security and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2006 . This bill makes a number of minor amendments to improve the effectiveness of social security in general and also family assistance and related legislation. The amendments remove anomalies, clarify the legislation in line with the established policy and make technical corrections and refinements. The bill introduces no significant new policy and has no or negligible financial impact. Some examples of what the measures in this bill will do are: limit childcare benefit for registered care to the fee paid—in other words, so that people cannot receive more back than they have actually paid; preclude childcare benefit for care provided as part of a compulsory education program; include de facto couples in the definition of temporarily separated couples; correct a range of Commonwealth payments taken into account as income for the low-income health care card; align the meaning of homelessness for special benefit with the meaning of homelessness that applies more broadly in the legislation; and repeal certain redundant housing acts. This bill is repealing seven acts relating to housing that are no longer operational. This just helps maintain the statute books when acts become redundant.

During the debate the member for Wills asked whether, in relation to the measure to extend remote area allowance to residents of Lord Howe Island, those residents have already been paid that allowance or whether this is a new policy. I wish to clarify for the member for Wills that the answer is yes, Lord Howe Island residents have generally been paid remote area allowance. What this amendment does is to make sure that the legislation fully supports this well-established policy.

Most of the remaining measures are technical corrections and refinements. Many of these measures are consequential on the commencement of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 and reflect the new concepts and arrangements established by that act. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message received from His Excellency the Governor-General recommending appropriation.

Ordered that the bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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