Social Security Point-in-Time Service Updates

The Social Security Point-in-Time Service has been updated to include the amendments from the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 1) Act 2018 (Act 17 of 2018) and the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform) Act 2018 (Act 26 of 2018).

Act 17 of 2018

This Act makes various amendments to law relating to veterans’ affairs and military rehabilitation and compensation, and for related purposes.

The amendments made by Schedule 1 create a new legislative scheme to provide additional support for current and former members and the families of current and former members, including deceased members, of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The amendments provide additional childcare arrangements, counselling, household services and attendant care for prescribed current and former ADF members.

The amendments in Schedule 2 create the Veteran Payment. Veteran Payment is a form of interim income support available to veterans to bridge the gap between lodging a claim for a mental health injury and the claim being determined. This payment is designed to provide immediate short-term financial assistance to vulnerable people who may be experiencing financial difficulty.

The amendments made by Schedule 3 amend the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) to create a new legislative scheme to provide a new pilot program to improve the mental health support available to veterans in rural and regional areas.

The amendments made by Schedule 4 amend the existing provisions relating to compensation for household and attendant care services where an Australian Defence Force (ADF) member sustains a catastrophic injury or disease under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).

Schedule 5 amends the relevant provisions within Division 2 of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) that relates to a claim for a qualifying service determination. 

The amendments made by Schedule 6, Part 1 amend the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) to make technical amendments, and the amendments made by Part 2, reinsert section 43 into the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA) to ensure a peacekeeper will not experience any disadvantage. 

The amendments made by Schedule 7 are consequential amendments related to the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Act 2017.

The amendments made by Schedule 8 Item 1 amend the existing provisions related to eligibility for treatment under the Australian Participants in British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006.

Act 26 of 2018

An Act to amend the law relating to family assistance, social security, paid parental leave and student assistance, and for related purposes.

The Act introduces a new, single JobSeeker Payment, which will replace or consolidate seven existing payments in order to simplify the working age payment system. 

The Act also sees a streamlining of administrative processes and the introduction of a new targeted compliance framework which will better identify and support vulnerable people and ensure that wilfully noncompliant jobseekers face appropriate penalties.

The amendments made by these Acts have been updated in the Point-in-Time Social Security Service current to 8 May 2018. (NB: Subscription required).

If you are not already a subscriber to this or other Point-in-Time Services then please contact us to find out more or to take a free trial.