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

(1) Schedule 6, Part 1, page 142 (after line 11), at the end of the Part, add:

4A Subsection 729(1)

After "subsection", insert "(1A) or".

4B After subsection 729(1)

Insert:

(1A) The Secretary must determine that a special benefit should be granted to a person for a period if:

(a) the person meets the eligibility requirements for widow allowance in Subdivision A of Division 2 of Part 2.8A; and

(b) the person is not qualified for widows allowance on the basis of subsection 408AA(2); and

(c) the person is not qualified for newstart allowance; and

(d) the person is not qualified for the aged pension.

4C Paragraph 733(1 ) ( b)

Before "the value", insert "subject to subsection (1A),".

4D After subsection 733(1)

Insert:

(1A) If subsection 729(1A) applies to a person, whether the value of the person's assets exceeds the person's assets value limit is to be determined by reference to section 408CE (the assets test applying in relation to widow allowance).

This relates to the cessation of the widow allowance. We are seeking to make this slightly fairer . A gain, we were unsuccessful in removing this particular schedule, so we are trying to make this amendment a bit fairer for those people that are affected on the cessation of the widow allowance.

This relates to inserting a section (1A) in this schedule. It requires the secretary to determine that a special benefit should be granted to a person for a period if the person meets the eligibility requirement for widow allowance in subdivision A of division 2, Part 2.8A—another set of provisions there. It also puts in an amendment that if subsection 729(1A) applies to a person where the value of the person's assets exceeds the person's asset value limit, that is to be determined by reference to another schedule. In other words, it's relating to some of the people that are affected by the cessation of the widow allowance.

We think some of these amendments unfairly impact on people currently receiving allowances but also on people into the future. Again, we urge the Senate to support these amendments that make schedule 6 slightly fairer and make the transition process into the jobseeker payment that much fairer.