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The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Presented and read a first time
Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014
No. , 2014
(Social Services)
A Bill for an Act to establish a scheme to make payments in relation to use of the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool, and for related purposes
Contents
1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1
2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2
3............ Simplified outline of this Act.............................................................. 2
4............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 3
Part 2—Key elements of BSWAT payment scheme 6
5............ Simplified outline of this Part.............................................................. 6
6............ Eligibility............................................................................................. 6
7............ Definition of intellectual impairment .................................................. 7
8............ Payment amount.................................................................................. 7
9............ Effect on representative proceedings................................................... 8
10.......... Effect on certain claims....................................................................... 9
11.......... Evidence of eligibility........................................................................ 10
Part 3—How to obtain a payment under the BSWAT payment scheme 11
Division 1—Simplified outline of this Part 11
12.......... Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 11
Division 2—Registration and application 13
13.......... Registration....................................................................................... 13
14.......... When a person cannot be included on the register............................. 13
15.......... Application........................................................................................ 13
16.......... When a person cannot make an application....................................... 14
Division 3—Determinations, offers and refusals 15
17.......... Determination of application............................................................. 15
18.......... Certain applications must not be determined..................................... 15
19.......... Offer................................................................................................. 16
20.......... Refusal.............................................................................................. 17
21.......... Certain circumstances in which offers and refusals cannot be given. 18
22.......... Extensions......................................................................................... 19
Division 4—Internal review 20
23.......... Internal review at Secretary’s initiative.............................................. 20
24.......... Internal review on application........................................................... 20
25.......... Withdrawal of application for internal review................................... 21
Division 5—External review 22
26.......... Application for external review......................................................... 22
27.......... Appointing external reviewer............................................................ 22
28.......... External review................................................................................. 23
29.......... Material that may be considered by external reviewer....................... 23
30.......... External reviewer may request Secretary to seek further information 25
31.......... Withdrawal of application for external review................................... 25
32.......... Notice of decision on external review............................................... 26
Division 6—Determinations made on a review 27
33.......... Substituting determinations on a review............................................ 27
34.......... Effect of review on previous offer or refusal.................................... 28
Division 7—Accepting an offer 29
35.......... Accepting an offer............................................................................. 29
36.......... Legal advice certificate...................................................................... 29
37.......... Financial counselling certificate......................................................... 29
38.......... Effective acceptance.......................................................................... 30
39.......... Notice to Federal Court..................................................................... 30
40.......... Payment of amount........................................................................... 31
41.......... Declining an offer............................................................................. 31
Part 4—Nominees 32
Division 1—Introduction 32
42.......... Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 32
43.......... Definition of participant ................................................................... 32
44.......... Act that may be done......................................................................... 32
Division 2—Functions and responsibilities of nominee 33
45.......... Actions on behalf of participant........................................................ 33
46.......... Duties of nominee to participant........................................................ 33
47.......... Giving of notices to nominee............................................................ 34
48.......... Compliance by nominee.................................................................... 35
49.......... Nominee to inform Secretary of matters affecting ability to act as nominee 36
Division 3—Appointment and cancellation or suspension of appointment 37
50.......... Appointment of nominee................................................................... 37
51.......... Provisions relating to appointments.................................................. 37
52.......... Circumstances in which the Secretary must cancel appointment of nominees 38
53.......... General circumstances in which Secretary may cancel or suspend appointment of nominees 39
54.......... Suspension etc. of appointment of nominees in cases of physical, mental or financial harm 40
55.......... Other matters relating to cancellation or suspension of appointment. 42
56.......... Rules may prescribe requirements etc............................................... 42
57.......... Secretary’s powers of revocation...................................................... 42
Division 4—Review of certain decisions about nominees 43
58.......... Review of certain decisions about nominees..................................... 43
59.......... Application for review...................................................................... 43
60.......... Withdrawal of application................................................................. 44
61.......... Review of decisions following application under section 59............. 44
62.......... Notice and date of effect.................................................................... 44
Division 5—Other matters relating to nominees 46
63.......... Secretary’s powers to give notices to participant............................... 46
64.......... Notification of nominee where notice is given to participant............. 46
65.......... Protection of participant against liability for actions of nominee....... 46
66.......... Protection of nominee against criminal liability................................. 46
Part 5—Administration 47
Division 1—Introduction 47
67.......... Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 47
Division 2—Information gathering 48
68.......... Further information from applicant................................................... 48
69.......... General power to obtain information................................................. 48
70.......... Power to obtain information from a person who owes a debt to the Commonwealth 49
71.......... Obtaining information about a person who owes a debt to the Commonwealth 49
72.......... Written notice.................................................................................... 50
73.......... Offence............................................................................................. 50
74.......... Obligations not affected by State or Territory laws........................... 51
Division 3—Privacy 52
75.......... Protection of information.................................................................. 52
76.......... Offence—unauthorised access to protected information................... 52
77.......... Offence—unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information.. 52
78.......... Offence—soliciting disclosure of protected information................... 53
79.......... Offence—offering to supply protected information.......................... 53
80.......... Protection of certain documents etc. from production to court etc..... 54
81.......... Disclosure of information by Secretary............................................. 54
82.......... Rules for exercise of Secretary’s disclosure powers......................... 55
83.......... Part does not affect the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 55
Division 4—Debt recovery 56
84.......... Debts due to the Commonwealth...................................................... 56
85.......... Joint and several liability for debts arising because of false and misleading statements 57
86.......... Legal proceedings............................................................................. 57
87.......... Arrangement for payment of debt..................................................... 57
88.......... Recovery of amounts from financial institutions............................... 58
89.......... Overseas application of debts............................................................ 59
Division 5—Non-recovery of debts 60
90.......... Secretary may write off debt............................................................. 60
91.......... Power to waive Commonwealth’s right to recover debt.................... 61
92.......... Waiver of debt arising from error...................................................... 61
93.......... Waiver of small debt......................................................................... 61
94.......... Waiver in relation to settlements........................................................ 62
95.......... Waiver in special circumstances........................................................ 62
Part 6—Miscellaneous 64
96.......... Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 64
97.......... Effect of person’s death.................................................................... 64
98.......... No admissions.................................................................................. 64
99.......... Standing appropriation...................................................................... 64
100........ Delegation......................................................................................... 65
101........ Approved forms................................................................................ 65
102........ Rules................................................................................................. 65
A Bill for an Act to establish a scheme to make payments in relation to use of the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool, and for related purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts: