Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Can I just have it noted that the Greens were the only people that voted no.

The CHAIR: Yes, certainly.

Can I just take this opportunity to let the chamber know the order I intend to move our amendments. I had a conversation with Senator Birmingham and also Senator Pratt yesterday but I thought that it was fair to let the chamber know. I next intend to move amendments relating to schedule 3, which is on sheet 8243. I then intend to seek leave to move amendments relating to schedule 5 with amendments to schedule 6 on sheet 8243. I will then move further amendments relating to schedule 6 at the end of part 1, which is on sheet 8250. I'll seek leave to move items (1) to (3) together on schedule 13 on sheet 8315. And then I intend to move amendments on sheet 8243 that relate to schedule 4 but I'm not going to move the amendment relating to clause 2, because that has already been dealt with previously by vote on an ALP amendment. Is that okay with everybody?

The CHAIR: I think it's as clear as mud! We shall proceed.

I move amendments to schedule 3, item 98, on sheet 8243 that relate to overseas portability of the wife pension:

(4) Schedule 3, item 98, page 85 (lines 24 to 26), omit the item, substitute:

(3) Subitem (3A) applies to a woman if, before the commencement of this item:

(a) the woman was receiving wife pension; and

(b) Division 2 of Part 4.2 of the Social Security Act 1991 applied in relation to the payment of wife pension to the woman.

(3A) Despite the amendments made by this Schedule, Parts 2.4 and 4.2 of the Social Security Act 1991, as in force immediately before the commencement of this item, and any other provision of that Act necessary to give effect to those Parts, continue to apply on and after that commencement in relation to the woman as if the amendments made by this Schedule had not been made.

We've had substantial discussion also around schedule 3 and there's already been rejection of our attempts to oppose schedule 3. Raised at the time of that debate were concerns around the women whose overseas portability of a wife pension will be affected, and this seeks to address this particular issue so that that group of around 200 women will not be affected by these changes. So this is to try to make this particular amendment to the changes to the income support system a bit fairer for those who are affected by the changes in this bill. It relates specifically to the overseas portability of the wife pension.