Commonwealth Numbered Acts Commonwealth Numbered Acts
No. 98, 2016
Contents
1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1
2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2
3............ Act binds the Crown........................................................................... 2
4............ Objects................................................................................................ 2
5............ Simplified outline of this Act.............................................................. 3
6............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 4
Part 2--Loans to students 10
Division 1--Secretary may approve loans 10
7............ Secretary may approve loans............................................................. 10
8............ Amount of loan................................................................................. 10
Division 2--Eligible students 11
9............ Eligible students................................................................................ 11
10.......... Enrolment and loan application......................................................... 11
11.......... Citizenship and residency.................................................................. 11
12.......... Academic suitability.......................................................................... 12
Division 3--Approved courses 13
13.......... Approved courses............................................................................. 13
14.......... Kinds of courses............................................................................... 13
15.......... Provision and delivery...................................................................... 13
16.......... The courses and loan caps determination........................................ 14
Division 4--Applications for loans 15
17.......... Applications for loans....................................................................... 15
18.......... Decisions about loans....................................................................... 16
Part 3--Paying and repaying loan amounts 18
Division 1--Paying loan amounts 18
19.......... Loan must be used to pay tuition fees............................................... 18
20.......... When Secretary is not required to pay loan amount.......................... 18
21.......... Notice about payment of loan amount............................................... 19
Division 2--Repaying loan amounts 20
22.......... When course provider must repay loan amount................................ 20
23.......... When tuition assurance scheme operator may be required to repay loan amount 21
Part 4--Approved course providers 22
Division 1--Approving course providers 22
24.......... Meaning of approved course provider............................................. 22
25.......... Secretary may approve a body.......................................................... 22
26.......... Provider suitability requirements....................................................... 23
27.......... Listed course providers may be taken to meet requirements.............. 23
28.......... Application for approval................................................................... 24
29.......... Period of approval............................................................................. 24
30.......... Decisions about approval.................................................................. 24
31.......... Fees for applications......................................................................... 25
32.......... When Secretary is not required to consider application..................... 25
33.......... Period of approval extends to cover decision on re-approval............ 25
Division 2--Conditions of approval 27
34.......... Secretary may impose conditions...................................................... 27
Division 3--Revoking and suspending approvals 28
35.......... Automatic revocation on winding up................................................ 28
36.......... Secretary may revoke or suspend approval....................................... 28
37.......... Immediate suspension in certain circumstances................................. 29
38.......... Secretary must revoke approval on provider request......................... 30
39.......... Secretary to notify relevant VET Regulator if approval is revoked or suspended 30
Division 4--Tuition assurance 31
40.......... Tuition assurance arrangements........................................................ 31
41.......... Secretary may require tuition assurance scheme operator to act........ 31
42.......... Other requirements for tuition assurance scheme operators.............. 32
Division 4A--External dispute resolution 33
42A....... Minister may specify external dispute resolution scheme.................. 33
42B....... Meaning of approved external dispute resolution scheme................ 33
42C....... Approved course provider must comply........................................... 33
Division 5--Ensuring compliance 35
43.......... Compliance notices........................................................................... 35
44.......... Varying and revoking compliance notices......................................... 36
45.......... Compliance audits............................................................................. 36
46.......... Approved course provider must cooperate........................................ 37
Part 5--Other requirements for approved course providers 38
Division 1--General 38
47.......... Conditions of approval and course provider requirements................ 38
48.......... Provider must have certain processes and procedures....................... 38
49.......... Provider must not use broker or agent.............................................. 39
Division 2--Information 40
50.......... Information for students.................................................................... 40
51.......... Retaining information and documents............................................... 40
52.......... Ongoing information requirements................................................... 41
53.......... Secretary may request information.................................................... 42
54.......... Dealing with personal information.................................................... 43
Division 3--Fees 44
55.......... Determining tuition fees.................................................................... 44
56.......... Student not liable for covered fees.................................................... 44
57.......... Publishing tuition fees....................................................................... 45
Division 4--Census days 46
58.......... Determining and publishing census days.......................................... 46
59.......... No penalty for cancelling enrolment before census day.................... 46
Division 5--Marketing 48
60.......... Misrepresenting VET student loans.................................................. 48
61.......... Offering certain inducements............................................................ 48
62.......... Engaging in cold-calling.................................................................... 48
63.......... Use of third party contact lists........................................................... 49
64.......... Other marketing requirements........................................................... 49
Division 6--Personal liability for executive officers 50
65.......... Personal liability for executive officers............................................. 50
66.......... Reasonable steps to prevent offence or contravention....................... 50
Part 6--Re-crediting FEE-HELP balances 52
Division 1--Application of Part 52
67.......... Application of Part............................................................................ 52
Division 2--Re-crediting by course provider 53
68.......... Special circumstances........................................................................ 53
69.......... Course not provided to completion................................................... 54
70.......... Secretary may act in place of provider............................................... 54
Division 3--Re-crediting by Secretary 55
71.......... When Secretary may re-credit FEE-HELP balance........................... 55
72.......... Student may apply for re-crediting by Secretary............................... 55
73.......... Secretary must invite submissions before re-crediting...................... 56
Part 7--Review of decisions 57
Division 1--Reviewable decisions 57
74.......... Reviewable decisions........................................................................ 57
75.......... When applications are taken to be refused......................................... 58
Division 2--Reconsideration of reviewable decisions 59
76.......... Application for reconsideration......................................................... 59
77.......... Reconsideration without application.................................................. 60
78.......... Reconsideration by delegates............................................................ 61
79.......... Approved course providers must have review officers..................... 61
80.......... Review by the AAT.......................................................................... 61
Division 3--Reconsideration of other decisions 62
81.......... Reconsideration of other decisions.................................................... 62
Part 8--Regulatory powers 63
82.......... Monitoring powers........................................................................... 63
83.......... Investigation powers......................................................................... 64
84.......... Civil penalty provisions.................................................................... 64
85.......... Infringement notices.......................................................................... 65
86.......... Enforceable undertakings.................................................................. 66
87.......... Injunctions........................................................................................ 66
88.......... Appointment of investigators............................................................ 67
89.......... Delegation of regulatory powers....................................................... 67
90.......... Other enforcement action.................................................................. 68
Part 9--Use of information 69
Division 1--Authorised use and disclosure of information 69
91.......... Use and disclosure by Commonwealth officers................................ 69
92.......... Use and disclosure by certain VET officers...................................... 69
93.......... Disclosure to certain agencies, bodies or persons............................. 69
94.......... Disclosure for purposes of law enforcement..................................... 70
95.......... Disclosure to other bodies for permitted purposes............................ 70
96.......... Disclosure of publicly available information..................................... 71
97.......... Commissioner may disclose VET information.................................. 71
98.......... This Division does not limit use or disclosure of VET information.. 71
Division 2--Offences for misuse of personal information 72
99.......... VET officers..................................................................................... 72
100........ Use of personal information for other purposes................................ 72
101........ Unauthorised access to, or modification of, personal information..... 73
Part 10--General provisions 75
102........ Communicating electronically........................................................... 75
103........ Secretary may publish information.................................................... 75
103A..... Secretary must publish information relating to operation of the VET student loans program 76
104........ Secretary may require a person to provide information about compliance with this Act 77
105........ Secretary may use computer programs to make decisions................. 77
106........ Giving false or misleading information............................................. 78
107........ Verifying tax file numbers................................................................ 78
108........ Contravening offence and civil penalty provisions............................ 79
109........ Certain references to course provider include references to agent..... 79
110........ Continuing application of Act to certain persons............................... 79
111........ No entitlement to future rights........................................................... 79
112........ Protection from civil actions.............................................................. 80
113........ Compensation for acquisition of property......................................... 80
114........ Delegations....................................................................................... 81
115........ Appropriation.................................................................................... 81
115A..... Alternative constitutional basis.......................................................... 81
116........ Rules................................................................................................. 81
No. 98, 2016
An Act to provide for loans to students for vocational education and training, and for related purposes
[Assented to 7 December 2016]
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
[Minister's second reading speech made in--
House of Representatives on 13 October 2016
Senate on 7 November 2016]
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