Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

This bill introduces several measures affecting the Social Services portfolio. One key measure delivers the first stage of the government's commitment to a different approach in addressing problem gambling. Our new direction will provide meaningful and measurable support for problem gamblers and reduce bureaucracy and duplication of functions between the Australian government and state and territory governments in this important area. Most Australians who gamble do so responsibly, but gambling is a major problem for some people and effective measures are needed to help these people. The bill will repeal the position and functions of the National Gambling Regulator, along with those provisions relating to the supervisory and gaming machine regulation levies, the automatic teller machine withdrawal limit, dynamic warnings, the trial on mandatory precommitment and matters for Productivity Commission review. The bill will also amend the precommitment and gaming machine capability provisions to express clearly the government's commitment to the development and implementation of these measures in the near future, informed fully by consultations with industry, state and territory governments and other stakeholders.

In a further step towards reducing bureaucracy, and especially to ease administrative burdens on business, the paid parental leave legislation will be amended to remove the requirement for employers to provide government funded parental leave pay to their eligible long-term employees. From 1 March 2014, employees will be paid directly by the Department of Human Services, unless an employer opts in to provide parental leave pay to its employees and an employee agrees for their employer to pay them.

The bill will also continue income management as a key element of Cape York Welfare Reform, as part of a two-year continuation of the initiative until 31 December 2015. Cape York Welfare Reform is a partnership between the Australian government, the Queensland government and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. It aims to restore local Indigenous authority, rebuild social norms, encourage positive behaviours, and improve economic and living conditions in the participating communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. Since Cape York Welfare Reform began in July 2008, the four participating communities have seen improvements in school attendance, parental responsibility and restoration of local Indigenous authority.

The bill will implement several measures affecting family and parental payments, the closed Pension Bonus Scheme, the rules for receiving certain payments overseas, the income test treatment of account based superannuation income streams, and certain student entitlements. Lastly, the bill will make some minor amendments, including ensuring that funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme paid into a person's account which is set up for the purpose of managing the funding for supports for a participant's plan cannot be garnisheed for debt recovery procedures.

I will also shortly be moving government amendments to introduce a new measure to the bill. The new measure will delay the commencement of the Charities Act 2013 by nine months from 1 January 2014 to 1 September 2014. The Charities Act 2013 defines 'charity' and 'charitable purpose' for the purposes of all Commonwealth legislation. The government has committed to consulting with the sector on abolishing the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and establishing a centre for excellence and a possible national register of charities. The delay will mean we can work holistically with civil society, consulting a range of stakeholders, including charity law specialists who provide advice to the sector. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

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