Bill
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020
passed, as at 2020-12-17. Social Services portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Social Services
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2020-11-12
- second reading — 2020-11-12
- second reading — 2020-12-01
- second reading — 2020-12-02
- second reading — 2020-12-02
- committee — 2020-12-02
- third reading — 2020-12-02
- introduced — 2020-12-03
- second reading — 2020-12-03
- second reading — 2020-12-10
- second reading — 2020-12-10
- committee — 2020-12-10
- third reading — 2020-12-10
- other — 2020-12-10
- other — 2020-12-10
- passed — 2020-12-10
- royal assent — 2020-12-17
Divisions
- The majority voted in favour of keeping the usual second reading motion - which is "*that the bill be read a second time*" - unchanged. Reading a bill [for a second time](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/) is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of a bill. This vote was put after a motion (see below) was introduced to change the wording of the usual second reading motion. ### Motion text > *That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:* > > *"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:* > > *(1) notes the Government's plans to cut coronavirus support for businesses and individuals; and* > > *(2) calls on the Government to permanently increase the base rate of the JobSeeker Payment".* — 2020-12-02, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 63, noes 59
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 - Consideration in Detail - Discontinue support — 2020-12-02, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 62, noes 59
- The majority voted in favour of a motion to *disagree* with [amendment (2)](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/32f9c2b2-1ee9-4d5f-b741-8e194c4befdc/&sid=0000), which means the amendment failed. According to Barton MP [Linda Burney](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/barton/linda_burney) (Labor), the amendment "*will remove the government's drop-dead date of 31 March 2021 for the rate of unemployment payments to return to the old Newstart rate.*" ### Amendment text > *(2) Schedule 1, Division 2, page 3 (line 12) to page 5 (line 25), omit the Division.* — 2020-12-02, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 63, noes 58
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 - Consideration in Detail - Liquid assets waiting period — 2020-12-02, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 63, noes 58
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 - Consideration in Detail - Not extending beneficial changes — 2020-12-02, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 63, noes 57
- The same number of senators voted for and against an amendment to the usual [second reading](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/) motion "*that the bill be read a second time*" - parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. ### Amendment text > *At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:* > > *(a) notes the Government's plans to cut coronavirus support for businesses and individuals; and* > > *(b) calls on the Government to permanently increase the base rate of the JobSeeker Payment".* — 2020-12-10, Senate: negative, ayes 32, noes 32
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 - Second Reading - Increase Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance — 2020-12-10, Senate: negative, ayes 31, noes 33
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 - in Committee - Don't cut the supplement — 2020-12-10, Senate: negative, ayes 30, noes 32
- The same number of senators voted for and against a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2020-12-10.173.1), which means it failed. The motion was "*that division 2 of part 1 of schedule 1 stand as printed.*" To stand as printed is parliamentary jargon for remaining unchanged. This vote was technically unsuccessful but, because a majority is needed to actually make a change to the wording of the bill, that particular division remained part of the bill as passed by both houses. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2021a/21bd032), the bill was introduced in order to: * *provide for the extension of the Coronavirus Supplement for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice) recipients from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021;* * *prevent any extension of the Coronavirus Supplement and the temporary COVID-19-related waivers from the ordinary waiting period, newly arrived resident’s waiting period and seasonal work preclusion period beyond 31 March 2021;* * *provide for the extension of the temporary COVID-19-related qualification rules for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice);* * *remove provisions relating to the COVID-19-related liquid assets test waiting period and assets test waivers (these waivers ended on 25 September 2020);* * *allow for specific provisions of social security law to be temporarily modified by the Minister by legislative instrument in response to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 until 31 March 2021 (or 16 April 2021 for some of the provisions);* * *introduce a discretionary power under the Social Security Act 1991 and the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 assets tests to extend the temporary absence provisions used in relation to determining a person’s principal home where an individual is unable to return to Australia, for reasons beyond their control, within the allowable absence period; and* * *allow for JobKeeper Payment information — 2020-12-10, Senate: negative, ayes 30, noes 30
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2020-12-10.241.2) introduced by SA Senator [Simon Birmingham](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/simon_birmingham) (Liberal), which means it succeeded. The motion was: > *That the committee does not insist on its amendment to which the House of Representatives has disagreed.* Because this vote was successful, the bill can now become law. That is, both levels of parliament have agreed to the bill in its current form. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2021a/21bd032), the bill was introduced in order to: * *provide for the extension of the Coronavirus Supplement for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice) recipients from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021;* * *prevent any extension of the Coronavirus Supplement and the temporary COVID-19-related waivers from the ordinary waiting period, newly arrived resident’s waiting period and seasonal work preclusion period beyond 31 March 2021;* * *provide for the extension of the temporary COVID-19-related qualification rules for Youth Allowance (Student and Apprentice);* * *remove provisions relating to the COVID-19-related liquid assets test waiting period and assets test waivers (these waivers ended on 25 September 2020);* * *allow for specific provisions of social security law to be temporarily modified by the Minister by legislative instrument in response to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 until 31 March 2021 (or 16 April 2021 for some of the provisions);* * *introduce a discretionary power under the Social Security Act 1991 and the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 assets tests to extend the temporary absence provisions used in relation to determining a person’s principal home where an individual is unable to return to Australia, for reasons beyond their control, within the allowable absence period; and* * *allow for JobKeeper — 2020-12-10, Senate: affirmative, ayes 35, noes 29
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2020-11-12.
The bill would extend several temporary coronavirus income support measures until 31 March 2021.
It would allow the minister to modify social security law by disallowable legislative instrument in response to the pandemic's economic and social impacts up to that date.
The government estimates the cost of the bill at $3.2 billion to 2024-25.
- The coronavirus supplement for youth allowance recipients would be extended from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021.
- Temporary COVID-19 exemptions from the ordinary waiting period and newly arrived resident's waiting period could not be extended beyond 31 March 2021.
- Temporary rules making jobseeker payment and youth allowance easier to qualify for would run from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021.
- The temporary exemption from the liquid assets test waiting period would be ended permanently.
- A new discretionary power would let the assets tests for social security and veterans' entitlements extend the principal home temporary absence period when a person cannot return to Australia within the allowed time through no fault of their own.
- JobKeeper information given to Services Australia on or before 28 March 2021 could continue to be used after that date.
Recipients of youth allowance, jobseeker payment, and other income support payments, as well as people affected by the principal home temporary absence rules.
Sources
em
billhome
frl act