House of Representatives

Second Reading Speech

Mr TRUSS (Minister for Community Services)

I move:

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill accompanies the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Bill 1999, the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Bill (No. 1) 1999 and the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Bill 1999. Together, they will facilitate the introduction of the new family assistance package from 1 July 2000.

The bill:

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amends a number of Commonwealth acts that refer to concepts and terms that are relevant under the existing family assistance structure and repeal or amend the references to reflect the new family assistance regime;

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provides for the appropriate calculation of family tax benefit part A for those recipients in receipt of income support-or whose partners receive income support;

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allows the use or disclosure of information by or between the three agencies involved in the transition to the new family assistance regime-Centrelink, the Australian Taxation Office and the Health Insurance Commission-for the purpose of identifying shared customers (so that customers receive only one letter about the new arrangements instead of, potentially, three); and

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makes some other minor technical amendments.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Martin Ferguson) adjourned.