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1998-99
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
AUSTRALIA
SENATE
AGED CARE AMENDMENT (OMNIBUS) BILL 1999
SUPPLEMENTARY EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
(Requests for Amendments, and Amendments,
to be moved on
behalf of the Government)
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Aged Care,
the
Hon. Bronwyn Bishop MP)
ISBN: 0642 407304
These requests and amendments change the date of 1 July 1999 to date of
commencement where 1 July 1999 appears in the Schedules to the Aged Care
Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999. Amendments are necessary to fully implement
the Budget initiative to exempt those people who were residents of nursing homes
when the Aged Care Act 1997 was introduced from paying an accommodation
charge on moving to another facility.
The amendments ensure that people
who became charge exempt residents after 1 July 1999 but before the passage of
the Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999 are covered by the provisions
exempting the principal home and rental income earned on a principal home to pay
for accommodation charges from the pension income and asset tests.
There may be a small financial impact on the Departments of Family and
Community Services and Veterans’ Affairs. This will occur where any
pensioner care recipients move, pay a charge and commence renting between 1 July
1999 and the passage of the legislation. The rental income earned by these care
recipients needs to be exempted from the pensions income test and the value of
the home from the pensions asset test. This will ensure that pensioner care
recipients continue to receive the full amount of pension and are not
disadvantaged due to the delay in implementation of the legislation.
Requests for Amendment
Request for Amendment
(1)
This amendment amends Schedule 2, item 16, page 29, line 12 to
change the date in the item from “1 July 1999” to “the
commencement of this item”. This amendment ensures that people who became
charge exempt residents after 1 July 1999 but before the passage of the Aged
Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999 are covered by this
item.
Request for Amendment (2)
This amendment amends
Schedule 2, item 16, page 29, lines 13 and 14 to change the date of this item
affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to “the
commencement of this item”. This amendment ensures that rental income is
not included in the pension test for people who became charge exempt residents
after 1 July 1999 but before the passage of the Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus)
Bill 1999.
Request for Amendment (3)
This amendment
amends Schedule 2, item 16, page 29, lines 30 and 31 to change the date in this
item affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to
“the commencement of this item”. This amendment ensures this item
applies to people who received rent on their principal home for the period after
1 July and before the passage of the Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill
1999.
Request for Amendment (4)
This amendment amends
Schedule 3, item 21, page 37, clause 17A, line 17 to change the date in this
item affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to
“the commencement of this clause”. This ensures that people who
became charge exempt residents after 1 July 1999 but before the passage of the
Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999 are covered by this
item.
Request for Amendment (5)
This amendment amends
Schedule 3, item 21, page 37, clause 17A, line 19 to change the date in this
item affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to
“the commencement of this clause”. This amendment ensures this item
applies to people who received rent on their principal home for the period after
1 July and before the passage of the Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill
1999.
Request for Amendment (6)
This amendment amends
Schedule 3, item 21, page 38, clause 17A, lines 5 and 6 to change the date in
this item affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to
“the commencement of this clause”. This amendment ensures this item
applies to people who received rent on their principal home for the period after
1 July and before the passage of the Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill
1999.
Amendments consequential upon Requests for Amendment
Amendment
(1)
This amendment amends Schedule 2, item 16, page 29, line 10 to
change the heading of this item affecting charge exempt residents from “1
July 1999” to “commencement”. This ensures that people who
became charge exempt residents after 1 July 1999 but before the Aged Care
Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999 is passed are covered by this
item.
Amendment (2)
This amendment amends Schedule 3, item
21, page 37, clause 17A, lines 14 and 15 to change the heading of this item
affecting charge exempt residents from “1 July 1999” to “the
commencement of this item”. This ensures that people who became charge
exempt residents after 1 July 1999 but before the Aged Care Amendment
(Omnibus) Bill 1999 is passed are covered by this item.