On 5 December 2013 the Senate referred schedules 6 and 9 of the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 for inquiry and report by 12 December 2013. The committee agreed that submissions should be received by close of business Monday 9 December 2013.
Broadly, schedules 6 and 9 propose to:
- Establish student start-up loans of up to $1025, repayable under similar arrangements to Higher Education Loan Program debts; and
- Continue indexation pauses on family tax benefit B, parental leave pay, and Dad and Partner pay; and
- Extend the annual child care rebate limit at $7,500 for three years from 1 July 2014.