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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
URGENT RELIEF FOR SINGLE AGE PENSIONERS BILL 2008
2008
The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
THE SENATE
Presented and read a first time
Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners
Bill 2008
No. , 2008
(Senator Coonan)
A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act
1991 and the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 to
increase payments to single age pensioners by $30
per week, and for related purposes
i Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008
Contents
1
Short title ............................................................................................ 1
2
Commencement .................................................................................. 1
3
Objects ................................................................................................ 1
4
Schedule(s) ......................................................................................... 2
Schedule 1--Urgent relief for single age pensioners
3
Social Security Act 1991
3
Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
4
Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008 1
A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act
1
1991 and the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 to
2
increase payments to single age pensioners by $30
3
per week, and for related purposes
4
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
5
1 Short title
6
This Act may be cited as the Urgent Relief for Single Age
7
Pensioners Act 2008.
8
2 Commence ment
9
This Act commences, or is taken to have commenced, on
10
20 September 2008.
11
3 Objects
12
Recognising that the Government:
13
(a) has acknowledged that it is virtually impossible for single age
14
pensioners to meet essential expenses on the current pension
15
2 Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008
rate, yet has refused to act and instead expects struggling
1
pensioners to wait until yet another review is completed;
2
(b) has a responsibility to act immediately to ensure that the
3
entire pension payment system appropriately addresses these
4
pressures;
5
the objects of this Act are to:
6
(c) increase the single age pension, single age service pension
7
and the Widow B pension by $30 per week;
8
(d) provide immediate relief to single age pensioners, single age
9
service pensioners and Widow B pensioners struggling with
10
rising cost of living pressures;
11
(e) provide the first step in ensuring that the Government acts
12
immediately and accepts its responsibilities to take the urgent
13
action required to assist all pensioners.
14
4 Schedule(s)
15
Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or
16
repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule
17
concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect
18
according to its terms.
19
20
Urgent relief for single age pensioners Schedule 1
Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008 3
1
Schedule 1
--
Urgent relief for single age
2
pensioners
3
4
Social Security Act 1991
5
1 Section 55
6
Omit "A person's age pension rate", substitute "Subject to section 56, a
7
person's age pension rate".
8
2 After section 55
9
Insert:
10
56 Increased pension rate for single age pensioners
11
(1) If:
12
(a) a person is qualified for the age pension under this Part; and
13
(b) the age pension is payable to that person under this Part; and
14
(c) the person is not a member of a couple;
15
then, for the purpose of making payments under Division 4 of
16
Part 3 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1991, the
17
person's age pension rate is worked out by adding an amount
18
equivalent to $30 per week to the person's age pension rate
19
calculated under section 55.
20
(2) To avoid doubt, the age pension rate determined under this section
21
is not to be used for any other purpose, including for the
22
calculation of any other benefit or fee under this Act or any other
23
Act.
24
3 Section 376
25
Omit "A woman's Widow B pension rate", substitute "Subject to
26
section 377, a woman's Widow B pension rate".
27
4 After section 376
28
Insert:
29
Schedule 1 Urgent relief for single age pensioners
4 Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008
377 Increased pension rate for Widow B pensioners
1
(1) If:
2
(a) a woman is qualified for the Widow B pension under this
3
Part; and
4
(b) the Widow B pension is payable to the woman under this
5
Part;
6
then, for the purpose of making payments under Division 4 of
7
Part 3 of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1991, the
8
woman's Widow B pension rate is worked out by adding an
9
amount equivalent to $30 per week to the woman's Widow B
10
pension rate calculated under section 376.
11
(2) To avoid doubt, the Widow B pension rate determined under this
12
section is not to be used for any other purpose, including for the
13
calculation of any other benefit or fee under this Act or any other
14
Act.
15
Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
16
5 Section 36N
17
Omit "A veteran's age service pension rate", substitute "Subject to
18
section 36P, a veteran's age service pension rate".
19
6 After section 36N
20
Insert:
21
36P Increased pension rate for single age service pensioners
22
(1) If:
23
(a) a veteran is qualified for the age service pension under this
24
Part; and
25
(b) the age service pension is payable to that veteran under this
26
Part; and
27
(c) the veteran is not a member of a couple;
28
then, for the purpose of making payments under Part VIII, the
29
veteran's age service pension rate is worked out by adding an
30
amount equivalent to $30 per week to the veteran's age service
31
pension rate calculated under section 36N.
32
Urgent relief for single age pensioners Schedule 1
Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 No. , 2008 5
(2) To avoid doubt, the age service pension rate determined under this
1
section is not to be used for any other purpose, including for the
2
calculation of any other benefit or fee under this Act or any other
3
Act.
4
5