Bills Digest no. 63 1976
Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Amendment Bill
1976
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Provisions
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
1. Compensation (Commonwealth
Government Employees) Amendment Bill 1976
2. Seaman s Compensation Amendment Bill 1976
3. United States Naval Communication Station (Civilian
Employees) Amendment Bill 1976
Date introduced: 30 November
1976
House: House of Representatives (from the
Senate)
Purpose
The main purpose of these Bills is to provide for increases in
benefits payable to those persons covered by the Principal
Acts.
Provisions
All Bills
- weekly compensation for total incapacity is increased by $23
(from $57 to $80) (payable after 26 weeks on full pay to those
covered by the Act amended by Bill 1 above); the weekly supplement
for a dependent spouse is increased by $6 ($15 to $21) and the
dependent child s allowance by $3 ($7 to $10). The ceiling for
partial incapacity payments is also increased from $57 to $80.
- the lump sum payable to dependents where an injury has resulted
in death is increased by $5,000 (from $20,000 to $25,000); weekly
payments to a dependent child of a deceased person are increased by
$3 ($7 to $10), with the minimum total amount payable to such a
child being increased by $300 ($700 to $1,000); the maximum payable
for funeral expenses will increase by $200 ($450 to $650).
- the maximum lump sum amount payable for injuries will increase
by $5,000 ($20,000 to $25,000); all other lump sum payments will be
increased similarly by 25%.
- the Bills also make minor amendments of a formal or technical
nature in keeping with current drafting practice but which make no
changes of substance.
Bills1 and 3 only
- the maximum amount payable for alterations to buildings or
vehicles, or repair or replacement of certain aids and appliances
will be increased by $200 ($500 to $700).
Bill 1 only
- in line with section 135D of the Social Services Act, persons
receiving compensation benefits are to be paid a training allowance
which, if any, is the amount by which the person s normal weekly
compensation benefit is less than the weighted average minimum wage
appropriate to his age.
- changes the citation of the Principal Act from Compensation
(Australian Government Employees) Act 1971 to Compensation
(Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971.
Bill 2 only
- removes the limit of $1,000 on the amount of compensation
payable in respect of medical and ambulance services.
- removes the time limit of twelve months in which to claim
damages and therefore ordinary time limits for actions for damages
will apply.
- changes the definition of a child who may receive payments as a
dependent to include children between 16 and 21 years who are full
time students not ordinarily in employment.
- these three amendments will bring the Principal Act into line
with the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act
1971.
Bill 3 only
- provides for the citation of the Compensation (Commonwealth
Government Employees) Act 1971 (see Bill 1); this change ensures
that the increased rates provided for in Bill 1 will also be
available to civilians employed by the United States Navy at the
Naval Communications Station at North West Cape.
Bills 2 and 3 only
- the amendments in these two Bills will not involve any cost to
the Commonwealth Government as the payments are the responsibility
of the shipowners and the United States Government
respectively.
The Bills are back dated to take effect from 1 September
1976.
Education and Welfare Group
2 December 1976
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 2006
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