Family and Community Services and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (2003 Budget and Other Measures) Act 2003 (122 of 2003)

Schedule 3   Assurances of support

Part 2   Consequential amendments

Social Security Act 1991

14   After section 1237AAD

Insert:

1237AAE Extra rules for waiver of assurance of support debts

(1) This section affects waiver under some other provisions of this Part of an assurance of support debt in connection with an assurance of support given by one or more persons (the assurers ), by setting out extra rules limiting the circumstances in which waiver may occur and the extent of waiver.

(2) The Secretary may waive under section 1237AAD the right to recover all or part of the debt only if the Secretary is satisfied that the waiver is justified on grounds other than one or more of the assurers being unaware of the effect of section 1061ZZGG, or of regulations made under the Migration Act 1958, in connection with the assurance.

(3) If the Secretary has been given a security that meets the requirements of subsection 1061ZZGD(3) in connection with the assurance, the Secretary may waive under section 1237AAA, 1237AAB or 1237AAD the right to recover an amount of the debt that is not greater than the difference (if any) between:

(a) the debt; and

(b) the amount that can be:

(i) obtained by enforcing the security; and

(ii) applied to reduce the debt.

Note: An amount that can be obtained by enforcing the security cannot be applied to reduce the debt if it is applied to reduce another assurance of support debt connected with the assurance of support.

(4) If 2 or more assurers are jointly and severally liable for the debt, the Secretary may waive under section 1237AAD the right to recover an amount of the debt that is not greater than the amount (which may be a nil amount) of the debt that the Secretary is satisfied cannot be recovered from any of the assurers.

(5) If subsections (3) and (4) apply, the Secretary may waive under section 1237AAD the right to recover an amount of the debt that is not greater than the amount (if any) of the debt that may be waived taking into account both of those subsections.