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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (DISASTER RECOVERY ALLOWANCE) BILL 2013

 

 

2010-2011-2012-2013 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment 

(Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013 

 

No.      , 2013 

 

(Emergency Management) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to social 

security, and for related purposes 

   

   

 

 

i       Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013 

Contents 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

Commencement ................................................................................. 1

 

Schedule(s) ........................................................................................ 1

 

Schedule 1--Disaster Recovery Allowance

 

3

 

Part 1--Main amendments

 

3

 

Social Security Act 1991

 

3

 

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

 

8

 

Part 2--Other amendments

 

10

 

Income Tax Assessment Act 1936

 

10

 

 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013       1 

A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to social 

security, and for related purposes 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

1  Short title 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Social Security Legislation 

Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Act 2013

2  Commencement 

 

  This Act commences on 1 October 2013. 

3  Schedule(s) 

 

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or 

10 

repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule 

11 

   

   

 

 

2            Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013 

concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect 

according to its terms. 

Disaster Recovery Allowance  Schedule 1 

Main amendments  Part 1 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013            3 

Schedule 1

--

Disaster Recovery Allowance 

Part 1

--

Main amendments 

Social Security Act 1991 

1  Subsection 23(1) 

Insert: 

Disaster Recovery Allowance means Disaster Recovery Allowance 

under Part 2.23B. 

2  Subsection 23(1) 

Insert: 

Part 2.23B major disaster means a disaster in respect of which a 

10 

determination is in force under section 36A. 

11 

3  After section 36 

12 

Insert: 

13 

36A  Part 2.23B major disaster 

14 

 

(1)  The Minister may determine in writing that an event is a 

15 

Part 2.23B major disaster if the Minister is satisfied that: 

16 

 

(a)  the event is a disaster that has such a significant impact on 

17 

one or more industries and/or one or more areas that a 

18 

government response in the form of income support is 

19 

required; and 

20 

 

(b)  the event is of national significance. 

21 

 

(2)  Without limiting the matters to which the Minister may have 

22 

regard for the purposes of subsection (1), the Minister must have 

23 

regard to: 

24 

 

(a)  the extent to which the nature or extent of the disaster is 

25 

unusual; and 

26 

 

(b)  the number of workplaces that are disrupted. 

27 

 

(3)  The event may be one that occurs naturally or otherwise. 

28 

Schedule 1  Disaster Recovery Allowance 

Part 1  Main amendments 

 

 

4            Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013 

 

(4)  The event must be one that occurs in Australia. 

 

(5)  In a determination made under this section, the Minister must do 

one of the following: 

 

(a)  specify one or more industries affected by the event and one 

or more areas affected by the event; 

 

(b)  specify one or more areas affected by the event. 

 

(6)  A determination made under this section is not a legislative 

instrument. 

4  Subsection 1061JJ(1) 

After "AGDRP", insert ", a Disaster Recovery Allowance". 

10 

5  Paragraph 1061JJ(2)(b) 

11 

After "AGDRP", insert ", a Disaster Recovery Allowance". 

12 

6  After Part 2.23A 

13 

Insert: 

14 

Part 2.23B--Disaster Recovery Allowance 

15 

Division 1--Qualification for Disaster Recovery Allowance 

16 

1061KA  Qualification for Disaster Recovery Allowance 

17 

 

(1)  A person is qualified for a Disaster Recovery Allowance if: 

18 

 

(a)  the person is at least 16 years of age; and 

19 

 

(b)  the person: 

20 

 

(i)  is an Australian resident; or 

21 

 

(ii)  is the holder of a visa that is in a class of visas 

22 

determined by the Minister for the purposes of 

23 

subparagraph 729(2)(f)(v); and 

24 

 

(c)  under subsection 36A(1), the Minister determines that an 

25 

event is a Part 2.23B major disaster; and 

26 

 

(d)  if the person is under 22 years of age--the Secretary is 

27 

satisfied that subsection (2) of this section does not apply in 

28 

relation to the person; and 

29 

Disaster Recovery Allowance  Schedule 1 

Main amendments  Part 1 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013            5 

 

(e)  the Secretary is satisfied that subsection (3) or (4) of this 

section applies in relation to the person; and 

 

(f)  the Secretary is satisfied that the person has suffered a loss of 

income as a direct result of the event; and 

 

(g)  the person is not receiving a social security entitlement; and 

 

(h)  the person is not receiving a payment prescribed in an 

instrument under subsection (5) of this section; and 

 

(i)  the Secretary is satisfied that the person satisfies the 

requirements (if any) prescribed in an instrument under 

subsection (6) of this section; and 

10 

 

(j)  the person's rate of Disaster Recovery Allowance, worked 

11 

out under section 1061KC, is greater than nil at the time the 

12 

claim for payment of Disaster Recovery Allowance is 

13 

determined by the Secretary. 

14 

Qualification rule for persons under 22 years of age 

15 

 

(2)  This subsection applies in relation to a person if: 

16 

 

(a)  on the day of the determination under subsection 36A(1), the 

17 

person is wholly or substantially dependent on another 

18 

person (except the person's partner); and 

19 

 

(b)  on that day, the person is not a parent of another person; and 

20 

 

(c)  the person's income in the financial year in which that day 

21 

occurs will not be more than $6,403. 

22 

Qualification rule if affected industries and areas 

23 

 

(3)  This subsection applies in relation to a person if: 

24 

 

(a)  under paragraph 36A(5)(a), the Minister specifies, in a 

25 

determination under section 36A, one or more industries 

26 

affected by the event and one or more areas affected by the 

27 

event; and 

28 

 

(b)  the person earns, derives or receives income from one of 

29 

those industries and the person does so by working in one of 

30 

those areas. 

31 

Qualification rule if affected areas only 

32 

 

(4)  This subsection applies in relation to a person if: 

33 

Schedule 1  Disaster Recovery Allowance 

Part 1  Main amendments 

 

 

6            Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013 

 

(a)  under paragraph 36A(5)(b), the Minister specifies, in a 

determination under section 36A, one or more areas affected 

by the event; and 

 

(b)  either or both of the following apply: 

 

(i)  the person earns, derives or receives income from one of 

those areas and the person does so by working in one of 

those areas; 

 

(ii)  the person resides in one of those areas. 

Legislative instruments 

 

(5)  The Minister may, in writing, prescribe payments for the purposes 

10 

of paragraph (1)(h). 

11 

 

(6)  The Minister may, in writing, prescribe requirements for the 

12 

purposes of paragraph (1)(i). 

13 

 

(7)  An instrument made under subsection (5) or (6) is a legislative 

14 

instrument, but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative 

15 

Instruments Act 2003 does not apply to the instrument. 

16 

1061KB  Disaster Recovery Allowance not payable if assurance of 

17 

support in force 

18 

 

  A person is not qualified for a Disaster Recovery Allowance if the 

19 

Secretary is satisfied that at the time the person would otherwise 

20 

have been so qualified: 

21 

 

(a)  an assurance of support was in force in respect of the person 

22 

(the assuree); and 

23 

 

(b)  the person who gave the assurance of support was willing 

24 

and able to provide an adequate level of support to the 

25 

assuree; and 

26 

 

(c)  it was reasonable for the assuree to accept that support. 

27 

Note: 

For assurance of support see subsection 23(1). 

28 

Disaster Recovery Allowance  Schedule 1 

Main amendments  Part 1 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013            7 

Division 2--Rate of Disaster Recovery Allowance 

1061KC  Rate of Disaster Recovery Allowance 

 

(1)  The rate of a person's Disaster Recovery Allowance is a daily rate. 

That rate is worked out by dividing the fortnightly rate worked out 

in accordance with an instrument under subsection (2) by 14. 

 

(2)  The Minister must, by legislative instrument, specify a method for 

working out the fortnightly rate of Disaster Recovery Allowance 

for the purposes of subsection (1). 

 

(3)  That fortnightly rate may be nil. 

Maximum rates 

10 

 

(4)  For a person who is under 22 years of age, that fortnightly rate is 

11 

not to exceed the maximum basic rate of youth allowance that 

12 

would be payable to the person if: 

13 

 

(a)  the person were qualified for youth allowance; and 

14 

 

(b)  youth allowance were payable to the person. 

15 

 

(5)  For a person who is at least 22 years of age, that fortnightly rate is 

16 

not to exceed the maximum basic rate of newstart allowance that 

17 

would be payable to the person if: 

18 

 

(a)  the person were qualified for newstart allowance; and 

19 

 

(b)  newstart allowance were payable to the person. 

20 

Division 3--Other matters 

21 

1061KD  Period that Disaster Recovery Allowance is payable 

22 

 

  A person's Disaster Recovery Allowance is payable to the person 

23 

for a period of 13 weeks. 

24 

1061KE  Non-receipt of social security payment 

25 

 

(1)  This section applies for the purposes of a provision of this or 

26 

another Act if: 

27 

 

(a)  the provision provides a benefit (whether the benefit is a 

28 

pension, benefit, payment, supplement or any other sort of 

29 

benefit) if a person meets specified criteria; and 

30 

Schedule 1  Disaster Recovery Allowance 

Part 1  Main amendments 

 

 

8            Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013 

 

(b)  one of the specified criteria is that the person is receiving a 

social security payment, or is a recipient of a social security 

payment. 

 

(2)  For the purposes of the provision, a person is not taken to be 

receiving a social security payment, or to be a recipient of a social 

security payment, merely because the person receives a Disaster 

Recovery Allowance. 

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 

7  After Subdivision F of Division 1 of Part 3 

Insert: 

10 

Subdivision FAA--Time limit for claims for Disaster Recovery 

11 

Allowance 

12 

27AA  Time limit for claims for Disaster Recovery Allowance 

13 

 

(1)  A claim for a Disaster Recovery Allowance relating to a Part 2.23B 

14 

major disaster must be lodged within 6 months after the 

15 

determination of the disaster under section 36A of the 1991 Act. 

16 

 

(2)  However, the claim may be lodged more than 6 months after the 

17 

determination if the Secretary is satisfied that: 

18 

 

(a)  there are special circumstances applying to the person's 

19 

claim that justify a late lodgement; and 

20 

 

(b)  the claim is lodged within a reasonable period having regard 

21 

to those circumstances. 

22 

8  After subsection 31(1A) 

23 

Insert: 

24 

 

(1B)  Section 29 does not apply to a claim for a Disaster Recovery 

25 

Allowance. 

26 

9  Paragraph 144(d) 

27 

After "section 36", insert "or 36A". 

28 

Disaster Recovery Allowance  Schedule 1 

Main amendments  Part 1 

 

 

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       No.      , 

2013            9 

10  Subclause 1(1) of Schedule 1 (at the end of the definition 

of social security periodic payment

Add: 

 

; or (k)  Disaster Recovery Allowance. 

Schedule 1  Disaster Recovery Allowance 

Part 2  Other amendments 

 

 

10            Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

Part 2

--

Other amendments 

Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 

11  Subsection 160AAA(1) (paragraph (a) of the definition of 

rebatable benefit

Omit "or 3.15A", substitute ", 2.23B or 3.15A". 

 


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