[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]
This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
2019-2020
The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
THE SENATE
Presented and read a first time
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19
Supplement) Bill 2020
No. , 2020
(Senator Siewert)
A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to social
security, and for related purposes
No. , 2020
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
i
Contents
1
Short title ........................................................................................... 1
2
Commencement ................................................................................. 1
3
Schedules ........................................................................................... 2
Schedule 1--Maintaining the COVID-19 supplement
3
Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act 2020
3
Social Security Act 1991
3
Schedule 2--Expanding eligibility for the COVID-19
supplement
5
Social Security Act 1991
5
No. , 2020
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
1
A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to social
1
security, and for related purposes
2
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
3
1 Short title
4
This Act is the
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19
5
Supplement) Act 2020
.
6
2 Commencement
7
(1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table
8
commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with
9
column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect
10
according to its terms.
11
12
2
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
No. , 2020
Commencement information
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Provisions
Commencement
Date/Details
1. The whole of
this Act
The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.
Note:
This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally
1
enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of
2
this Act.
3
(2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act.
4
Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it
5
may be edited, in any published version of this Act.
6
3 Schedules
7
Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or
8
repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule
9
concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect
10
according to its terms.
11
Maintaining the COVID-19 supplement
Schedule 1
No. , 2020
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
3
Schedule 1--Maintaining the COVID-19
1
supplement
2
3
Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act
4
2020
5
1 After subitem 40A(1) of Schedule 11
6
Insert:
7
(1A) However, an instrument made under this item must not have the
8
effect of:
9
(a) decreasing the amount of the COVID-19 supplement; or
10
(b) removing the COVID-19 supplement.
11
Social Security Act 1991
12
2 Paragraph 504(2)(a)
13
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
14
(a) the period (the
initial period
) beginning on 25 March 2020
15
and ending on 28 March 2021, unless paragraph (b) applies;
16
or
17
3 Subsection 504(4)
18
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
19
Amount of supplement
20
(4) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of
21
the initial period, and any extension of that period, the amount of
22
the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
23
4 Subsections 504(5) to (8)
24
Repeal the subsections.
25
5 Paragraph 557(2)(a)
26
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
27
Schedule 1
Maintaining the COVID-19 supplement
4
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
No. , 2020
(a) the period (the
initial period
) beginning on 25 March 2020
1
and ending on 28 March 2021, unless paragraph (b) applies;
2
or
3
6 Subsection 557(4)
4
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
5
Amount of supplement
6
(4) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of
7
the initial period, and any extension of that period, the amount of
8
the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
9
7 Subsections 557(5) to (8)
10
Repeal the subsections.
11
8 Paragraph 646(2)(a)
12
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
13
(a) the period (the
initial period
) beginning on 25 March 2020
14
and ending on 28 March 2021, unless paragraph (b) applies;
15
or
16
9 Subsection 646(4)
17
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
18
Amount of supplement
19
(4) For the period beginning on 27 April 2020 and ending at the end of
20
the initial period, and any extension of that period, the amount of
21
the COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
22
10 Subsections 646(5) to (8)
23
Repeal the subsections.
24
11 Application
25
The amendments of the
Social Security Act 1991
made by this
26
Schedule apply in relation to an instalment period that began on or
27
after 25 September 2020 and later instalment periods.
28
Expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 supplement
Schedule 2
No. , 2020
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
5
Schedule 2--Expanding eligibility for the
1
COVID-19 supplement
2
3
Social Security Act 1991
4
1 At the end of Division 4 of Part 2.2
5
Add:
6
56 COVID-19 supplement
7
(1) If a person is receiving:
8
(a) an age pension; and
9
(b) rent assistance;
10
the rate of the person's age pension is increased by the amount of
11
the COVID-19 supplement. The increase begins on 25 September
12
2020.
13
(2) In this section:
14
rent assistance
means an amount paid or payable under this Act to
15
help cover the cost of rent.
16
Amount of supplement
17
(3) For the period beginning on 25 September 2020 and ending at the
18
end of the period covered by subsection 646(2), the amount of the
19
COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
20
Cessation of supplement
21
(4) This section ceases to apply at the end of the period covered by
22
subsection 646(2).
23
2 At the end of Division 5 of Part 2.3
24
Add:
25
121 COVID-19 supplement
26
(1) If a person is receiving a disability support pension, the rate of the
27
person's disability support pension is increased by the amount of
28
Schedule 2
Expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 supplement
6
Social Security Amendment (COVID-19 Supplement) Bill 2020
No. , 2020
the COVID-19 supplement. The increase begins on 25 September
1
2020.
2
Amount of supplement
3
(2) For the period beginning on 25 September 2020 and ending at the
4
end of the period covered by subsection 646(2), the amount of the
5
COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
6
Cessation of supplement
7
(3) This section ceases to apply at the end of the period covered by
8
subsection 646(2).
9
3 At the end of Part 3.19
10
Add:
11
1210C COVID-19 supplement for specified payments
12
(1) If a person is receiving one of the following payments:
13
(a) austudy payment;
14
(b) partner allowance;
15
(c) widow allowance;
16
(d) special benefit;
17
(e) a payment under the scheme known as the ABSTUDY
18
scheme that includes an amount identified as a living
19
allowance;
20
then the rate of the person's payment is increased by the amount of
21
the COVID-19 supplement.
22
Amount of supplement
23
(2) For the period beginning on 25 September 2020 and ending at the
24
end of the period covered by subsection 646(2), the amount of the
25
COVID-19 supplement per fortnight is $550.
26
Cessation of supplement
27
(3) This section ceases to apply at the end of the period covered by
28
subsection 646(2).
29