Bill
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Early Childhood Education and Care Coronavirus Response and Other Measures) Bill 2021
passed, as at 2021-03-26. Education, Skills and Employment portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Education, Skills and Employment
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2021-02-17
- second reading — 2021-02-17
- second reading — 2021-03-17
- second reading — 2021-03-18
- second reading — 2021-03-18
- committee — 2021-03-18
- third reading — 2021-03-18
- introduced — 2021-03-18
- second reading — 2021-03-18
- third reading — 2021-03-18
- passed — 2021-03-18
- royal assent — 2021-03-26
Divisions
- Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Early Childhood Education and Care Coronavirus Response and Other Measures) Bill 2021 - Consideration in Detail – Waive fees during lockdown — 2021-03-18, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 64, noes 59
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2021-02-17.
The bill would let the government pay emergency funds to child care providers when a disaster or emergency strikes.
It would also allow families to have their child care subsidy debt reduced after the usual two-year deadline for lodging tax returns.
The changes aim to support the early childhood sector and families affected by COVID-19 and other emergencies.
- Expands the circumstances for business continuity payments to approved child care providers during declared emergencies or disasters.
- Lets child care subsidy debts be reconciled after the second deadline, reducing or eliminating the debt.
- Ensures business continuity payments from the COVID-19 relief period are not automatically offset against future subsidies.
- Allows the minister's rules to specify when those payments become debts if overpaid.
- Exempts providers from reporting weekly session reports during the relief period.
- Makes minor amendments about debts, review processes, delegation of powers, and back-dating approvals.
Approved child care providers, families receiving child care subsidy, and the early childhood education and care sector.
Sources
em
billhome
frl act