Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (More Support in the Safety Net) Act 2024 (66 of 2024)

Schedule 3   Providing flexibility to carers

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

12   Application of amendments

Section 198AC of the Social Security Act 1991

(1) The amendments to section 198AC of the Social Security Act 1991 made by this Schedule apply in relation to a person's qualification for carer payment on days occurring on or after 20 March 2025, whether the person's training, education, unpaid voluntary work, paid employment or paid work is undertaken before, on or after 20 March 2025.

(2) However, for the purposes of calculating whether a person has exceeded the limit referred to in subsection 198AC(3) or (3A) of the Social Security Act 1991 for the 2025 calendar year, disregard training, education or unpaid voluntary work undertaken before 20 March 2025.

Section 1061ZCB of the Social Security Act 1991

(3) Section 1061ZCB of the Social Security Act 1991, as inserted by this Schedule, applies in relation to persons ceasing to be qualified for carer payment, or carer payment ceasing to be payable to persons, on or after 20 March 2025, whether:

(a) the payment first became payable before, on or after 20 March 2025; and

(b) either:

(i) the person ceases to be qualified for carer payment due to the person's temporary cessation of care exceeding the relevant limit because of training, education, unpaid voluntary work, paid employment or paid work undertaken, or any other event or circumstance occurring, before, on or after 20 March 2025; or

(ii) carer payment ceases to be payable to a person due to an event or change of circumstances occurring before, on or after 20 March 2025 that results in the person's income reduced rate being nil on or after 20 March 2025.

(4) However, for the purposes of calculating whether a person has exceeded the limit referred to in subsection 198AC(3) or (3A) of the Social Security Act 1991 for the 2025 calendar year, disregard training, education or unpaid voluntary work undertaken before 20 March 2025.

Section 95CA of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

(5) Section 95CA of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, as inserted by this Schedule, applies in relation to suspensions of a carer payment taking effect on or after 20 March 2025, whether:

(a) the payment first became payable before, on or after 20 March 2025; and

(b) the cancellation to which the suspension relates would have been, or is, due to either:

(i) training, education, unpaid voluntary work, paid employment or paid work undertaken, or any other event or circumstance occurring, before, on or after 20 March 2025; or

(ii) an event or change of circumstances occurring before, on or after 20 March 2025 that results in the person's income reduced rate being nil on or after 20 March 2025.

(6) However, for the purposes of calculating whether a person has exceeded the limit referred to in subsection 198AC(3) or (3A) of the Social Security Act 1991 for the 2025 calendar year, disregard training, education or unpaid voluntary work undertaken before 20 March 2025.