Summary

Introduced with the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 1) Bill 2014, the bill amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to: pause indexation on certain income and assets test free areas and thresholds for three years; index pensions (other than parenting payment single) to the Consumer Price Index from 20 September 2017; reduce social security and veterans’ entitlements income test deeming thresholds from 20 September 2017; exclude from the social security and veterans’ entitlements income test payments made under the Young Carer Bursary Programme from 1 January 2015; include tax-free superannuation income in the assessment of income for qualification for the seniors health card; and increase the age pension qualifying age, and the non-veteran pension age, from 67 to 70 years by six months every two years, commencing on 1 July 2025; Social Security Act 1991 to: extend to 19 weeks the portability period for seniors health cardholders; restrict qualification for relocation scholarship payments; extend youth allowance (other) to 22 to 24 year olds in lieu of newstart allowance and sickness allowance from 1 January 2015; and provide for 26-week waiting periods and non-payment periods from 1 January 2015; Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to: limit the overseas portability period for disability support pension from 1 January 2015; and abolish the pensioner education supplement from 1 January 2015; Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to abolish the education entry payment from 1 January 2015; A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 in relation to family tax benefit (from 1 July 2015) by: limiting the large family supplement; removing the per-child add-on; revising end-of-year supplements to their original values and ceasing indexation; reducing the primary earner income limit; limiting family tax benefit Part B; and introducing a single parent supplement; Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to remove the three months’ backdating of disability pension from 1 January 2015; and seven Acts to make consequential amendments.