Explanatory Memorandum
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator the Honourable Jocelyn Newman)Outline and financial impact statement
This Bill follows up the 1998 youth allowance legislation package, which comprised:
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- the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance) Act 1998 ;
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- the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance Consequential and Related Measures) Act 1998 ;
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- the Social Security (Fares Allowance) Rules 1998 (a disallowable instrument);
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- the Social Security Student Financial Supplement Scheme 1998 (also a disallowable instrument); and
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- the Social Security (Family Actual Means Test) Regulations 1998 .
The Bill has two purposes. The first is to incorporate into the Social Security Act 1991 provisions currently contained in the three major pieces of subordinate legislation mentioned above. As a general principle, those provisions are to be moved without making any change in their effect. Those provisions themselves were originally set up with the intention of preserving the effect of the pre-existing AUSTUDY provisions so that students did not suffer any disruption to their payments because of the youth allowance changes, which happened half way through the academic year.
The other main purpose of the Bill is to deal with any technical issues identified during the implementation of the youth allowance package.
The Bill will also make consequential amendments to reflect the new placement and structure of the relocated provisions and as a consequence of the commencement of youth allowance.
Schedule 1 - Fares allowance
This Schedule amends the Social Security Act 1991 to incorporate the provisions currently contained in the Social Security (Fares Allowance) Rules 1998 .
Date of effect: Royal Assent
| Financial impact: | 1998-99 | Nil |
| 1999-00 | Nil | |
| 2000-01 | Nil |
Schedule 2 - Student financial supplement scheme
This Schedule amends the Social Security Act 1991 to incorporate the provisions currently contained in the Social Security Student Financial Supplement Scheme 1998 .
| Financial impact: | 1998-99 | Nil |
| 1999-00 | Nil | |
| 2000-01 | Nil |
Schedule 3 - Family actual means test
This Schedule amends the Social Security Act 1991 to incorporate the provisions currently contained in the Social Security (Family Actual Means Test) Regulations 1998 .
Date of effect: Royal Assent
| Financial impact: | 1998-99 | Nil |
| 1999-00 | Nil | |
| 2000-01 | Nil |
Schedule 4 - Youth allowance and austudy payment
This Schedule amends the Social Security Act 1991 to make various amendments addressing technical issues identified during the implementation of the youth allowance package.
Date of effect: Various dates
| Financial impact: | 1998-99 | Negligible |
| 1999-00 | $0.31m. (savings) | |
| 2000-01 | $1.16m. (savings) |
Schedule 5 - Youth allowance and the student financial supplement scheme
This Schedule amends the Data-matching Program (Assistance and Tax) Act 1990 , the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 , the Taxation (Interest on Overpayments and Early Payments) Act 1983 and the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to reflect the new placement and structure of the provisions relocated by Schedule 2 . It also amends the Farm Household Support Act 1992 as a consequence of the commencement of youth allowance.
Date of effect: Various dates
| Financial impact: | 1998-99 | Nil |
| 1999-00 | Nil | |
| 2000-01 | Nil |