House debates

Monday, 11 September 2017

Bills

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform) Bill 2017; Consideration in Detail

4:35 pm

Photo of Christian PorterChristian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I present a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill, and I ask leave of the House to move government amendments (1) to (22) as circulated together.

Leave granted.

I move government amendments (1) to (22) as circulated together:

(1) Schedule 10, page 170 (before line 4), insert:

Social Security Act 1991

1A Paragraph 549CA(2) (a)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

(2) Schedule 10, page 170, after proposed item 1A, insert:

1B Subsection 549CB(1)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

1C Paragraph 549CB(2) (b)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

(3) Schedule 10, page 170, after proposed item 1C, insert:

1D Paragraph 620(1) (a)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

(4) Schedule 10, page 170, after proposed item 1D, insert:

1E Subsection 621(1)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

1F Paragraph 621(3) (b)

Omit "clause 5", substitute "clauses 4A and 5".

(5) Schedule 12, item 1, page 176 (lines 1 and 2), omit paragraph (d) of the definition of drug test trial pool member in subsection 23(1).

(6) Schedule 12, item 24, page 187 (line 30), omit "may", substitute "must".

(7) Schedule 12, item 24, page 188 (lines 1 and 2), omit "consider whether to make a determination under subsection (1C)", substitute "inquire into whether a person being subject to the income management regime under subsection (1A) poses a serious risk to the person's mental, physical or emotional wellbeing".

(8) Schedule 16, item 1, page 222 (line 16), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for the request recipient".

(9) Schedule 16, item 1, page 222 (line 17), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for the request recipient".

(10) Schedule 16, item 1, page 223 (lines 10 and 11), omit paragraph 75(4) (a), substitute:

(a) the request recipient:

  (i) is making, or has made, a claim for a social security payment; or

  (ii) is receiving a social security payment; and

(11) Schedule 16, item 1, page 223 (line 14), omit "request recipient's".

(12) Schedule 16, item 1, page 224 (lines 5 and 6), omit "for a social security payment or a seniors health card", substitute "described in paragraph 75(1) (a) or (c)".

(13) Schedule 16, item 1, page 224 (line 8), after "(b)", insert "of this section".

(14) Schedule 16, item 1, page 225 (table item 2), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for the person".

(15) Schedule 16, item 1, page 225 (table item 4), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for the person".

(16) Schedule 16, item 1, page 226 (line 20), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for the request recipient".

(17) Schedule 16, Part 1, page 226 (after line 35), at the end of the Part, add:

1A After paragraph 204A(2) (b)

Insert:

(ba) to verify, in respect of persons who have made claims under the social security law for seniors health cards, or health care cards that are income-tested for those persons, the qualification of those persons for those cards;

(18) Schedule 16, page 227 (before line 3), before item 2, insert:

1B Subsection 6A(1)

Insert:

income -tested: a health care card is income -tested for a person if the person is required by paragraph 1061ZO(2) (d), (3) (e) or (4) (d) to satisfy the health care card income test in order to qualify for the health care card.

(19) Schedule 16, page 227, after proposed item 1B, insert:

1C Subsection 23(1)

Insert:

income -tested in relation to a health care card: see subsection 6A(1).

(20) Schedule 16, item 3, page 227 (lines 6 and 7), omit the item, substitute:

3 Subsection 37(8) (note)

Repeal the note, substitute:

Note: In some cases, the Secretary must not make a determination granting a claim for a seniors health card or an income-tested health care card if the Secretary makes a request under subsection 75(2) or (3) of the claimant (about providing tax file numbers): see subsection 77(1).

(21) Schedule 16, item 4, page 227 (lines 8 and 9), omit the item, substitute:

4 Subsection 86(1) (note)

Repeal the note, substitute:

Note: In some cases, the Secretary must cancel a seniors health card or an income-tested health care card if the Secretary makes a request under subsection 75(2) or (3) of the holder (about providing tax file numbers): see subsections 77(1) and (3).

(22) Schedule 16, item 5, page 227 (line 12), after "seniors health card", insert ", or a health care card that is income-tested for a person,".

The briefest explanation that I can provide with respect to those amendments, of which there are 22, is they are technical but that they amend schedules 10, 12 and 16 of the bill.

The amendments to schedule 10, which deals with the work first component of the bill, are designed to ensure that the ordinary waiting period will apply in the same way to jobseekers who are subject to RapidConnect as to jobseekers who are not subject to RapidConnect.

The amendments that apply to schedule 12, which deals with the drug-testing trial, are designed to refine the definition of 'drug test trial pool member' and give greater support to jobseekers referred to income management for whom the regime could pose any risk to their wellbeing.

The third group of amendments applies to schedule 16 and relates to the streamlining of tax file number issues. These amendments would allow for the request for tax file number provisions in the social security law to apply to a relevant third party as part of a person's claim for social security payment and to an income-tested healthcare card or seniors health card.

Question agreed to.

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