Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, The Honourable Dan Tehan MP)Outline and Financial Impact
Outline
The Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum to the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 2017 (the Bill) provides a description of amendments to the Bill being made subsequent to its introduction.
The proposed amendments as described below would change the form of the original Bill and if agreed to by the Parliament will be incorporated into the version of the Bill that is enacted.
Amendment (1) provides that Schedule 5A commences the day after Royal Assent.
Amendments (2) and (3) remove the provisions to Schedule 1 of the Bill that would have empowered the Principal Member of the Veterans' Review Board to dismiss an application for review where the case was frivolous, vexatious, misconceived or lacking in substance, had no reasonable prospect of success or was otherwise an abuse of process of the Board. As a consequence, the application provisions in subitem 8(4) of the Bill will also be removed by this amendment.
Amendment (4) amends the Bill to include a revised Schedule 3 to provide the Minister for Veterans' Affairs with the power to enter into arrangements with foreign countries in relation to the payment of pensions and the provision of assistance and benefits to persons specified in the arrangement.
Amendment (5) amends the definition of "concessional beneficiary' in the National Health Act 1953 to ensure that DVA clients who are eligible for fringe benefits can access discounted pharmaceuticals.
Amendment (6) amends new section 437A of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (as inserted by Item 1 of Schedule 6 of the Bill) to clarify the extent to which the powers and functions of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs may be delegated under that Act.
Amendment (7) amends the heading to reflect the correct name of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006. This is a technical amendment.
Amendments (8), (9) and (10) make technical amendments to the various Transitional provisions to reflect the correct name of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006.
Financial Impact
Nil impact