Explanatory Memorandum
(Circulated by the authority of the Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator the Hon Kay Patterson)Outline
This Bill is the first of two bills giving effect to the More Help for Families package of measures announced in the 2004 Budget to provide extra assistance to families.
The Bill will provide three one-off payments that will generally be paid in June 2004:
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- A one-off payment to families of $600 per child. Eligibility for the new payment will be linked to:
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- eligibility for family tax benefit Part A on Budget night 2004 for Centrelink instalment customers;
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- a confirmed entitlement to family tax benefit Part A on Budget night in respect of the 2002-03 income year for lump sum claimants through the Australian Taxation Office and Centrelink; and
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- receipt by parents and nominees of dependent youth allowance for 16-17 year old children on Budget night.
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- A one-off payment of $1000 to recipients of carer payment on Budget night 2004.
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- A one-off payment to recipients of carer allowance on Budget night, generally payable as an amount of $600 for each person who attracts carer allowance.
The Bill also contains provisions to enable an administrative scheme to be established. In broad terms, the purpose of the administrative scheme will be to provide payments in circumstances where the statutory one-off payments regime does not produce an appropriate result. The Minister for Family and Community Services will determine the details of the scheme by disallowable instrument.
The Bill commences on Royal Assent.
The financial cost of the one-off payments to families is $2.2b for 2003-04.
The financial cost of the one-off payments to carers is $255m for 2003-04.