Bills Digest No. 79,
2016–17
PDF version [602KB]
Michael Klapdor
Social Policy Section
27
March 2017
Contents
The Bills Digest at a glance
Purpose of the Bill
Background
Eligibility
Income test
Assets test
Mutual obligation requirements
Waiting periods
Committee consideration
Senate Selection of Bills Committee
Senate Standing Committee for the
Scrutiny of Bills
Policy position of non-government
parties/independents
Position of major interest groups
Financial implications
Statement of Compatibility with Human
Rights
Parliamentary Joint Committee on
Human Rights
Key issues and provisions
Schedule 1—removal of waiting periods
Rationale
Impact of the measure
Key provisions
Farm Household Support Act 2014
Schedule 2—farm assets
Minister’s rule exemptions
Impact of the measure
Key provisions
Farm Household Support Act 2014
Concluding comments
Date introduced: 9 February 2017
House: House of
Representatives
Portfolio: Agriculture
and Water Resources
Commencement: The
later of the day after Royal Assent and 1 April 2017.
Links: The links to the Bill,
its Explanatory Memorandum and second reading speech can be found on the
Bill’s home page, or through the Australian
Parliament website.
When Bills have been passed and have received Royal Assent,
they become Acts, which can be found at the Federal Register of Legislation
website.
All hyperlinks in this Bills Digest are correct as
at March 2017.
The Bills Digest
at a glance
- The
Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017 (the Bill) proposes amendments to
the Farm Household Support Act 2014 to:
– remove
the one-week ordinary waiting period and the liquid assets test waiting period
that applies to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) and
– expand
the definition of farm assets used in the FHA assets test and include water
rights as farm assets.
- The
FHA is an income support payment which supports eligible farmers and their
partners who are experiencing financial hardship.
- Removing
the two different waiting periods will allow for quicker access to the FHA for
some farmers and partners, particularly those with large amounts of cash
savings. Farmers have raised issues with the time it takes to process their
claims for the FHA. While the Bill does not address claims processing, it will
allow some farmers quicker access to the FHA once their claim is approved.
- The
assets test for the FHA has two parts: one assesses non-farm and liquid assets
and is similar to the assets test for Newstart Allowance; the other assesses
farm assets and has a relatively high cut-off threshold of $2.55 million.
- The
current definition of ‘farm assets’ specifies types of assets that are used in
farm enterprises. The Bill proposes to expand the definition to cover these
same assets as well as any other assets that are used in farm enterprises, and
to only specify assets that should not be treated as farm assets. Water rights
will be added to the list of specific farm assets.
- Currently,
water rights are treated as non-farm assets but a 2016 Minister’s rule provides
for up to $1.1 million in water rights to be considered exempt from the
non-farm assets test. The amendments in the Bill will include the full-value of
these rights in the farm assets test but the farm assets test threshold of
$2.55 million will not be modified.
- Overall,
the measures will be beneficial to FHA claimants though some farmers with water
rights and other substantial farm assets may be affected by the inclusion of
these water rights in the farm assets test.
- The
Bill is expected to have minimal impact on the budget.
Purpose of
the Bill
The purpose of the Farm Household Support Amendment Bill
2017 (the Bill) is to amend the Farm Household Support Act 2014 (the FHS
Act)[1]
to:
- remove
the one-week ordinary waiting period and the liquid assets test waiting period
provisions applicable to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) and
- expand
the definition of ‘farm assets’ for the purposes of the assets test to include
water rights and shares in marketing cooperatives where they are used
substantially for the purposes of farm operations.
The measures will commence from the later of the day after
Royal Assent or 1 April 2017.
Background
The Farm Household Allowance (FHA) is an income support
payment which supports eligible farmers and their partners who are experiencing
financial hardship. It is paid at the same rate as the social security payment
Newstart Allowance (or the same rate as Youth Allowance if the recipient is
aged under 22 years).[2]
Eligible farmers and their partners can receive the FHA for up to three years.[3]
Recipients also receive a Health Care Card (which enables access to discounted
medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and other concessions), some
supplementary benefits as well a case manager who will assist recipients to
assess their financial circumstances and plan for the future.
The FHA was introduced in 2014 and replaced a number of
financial supports offered to farmers during times of drought, in particular,
the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment.[4]
The FHA was designed to support farmers in financial difficulty regardless of
the specific cause or whether they were located within a specific
drought-declared area:
Following the national review of drought policy, in 2010 the
Australian Government, in partnership with the Western Australian government,
conducted a two year pilot of drought reform measures in regions of Western
Australia. The pilot tested a range of programs to inform the design of a new
national approach to drought support. The pilot was reviewed in 2011 by an
independent panel, which reported strong support for an income support payment
for farm families in hardship that is based on demonstrated individual need
rather than a climatic trigger. Furthermore, the panel emphasised the
requirement for reciprocal obligations to help farm families realistically
assess their financial position and take steps to become more self-reliant.
FHA was developed in response to the national review of
drought policy and WA drought pilot review.[5]
As at 24 February 2017, there had been 7,133 recipients of
the FHA since it was introduced in 2014.[6]
Eligibility
To be eligible for the FHA, an individual must be a farmer
or partner of a farmer and meet residency requirements, income and assets tests
as well as mutual obligation requirements. The income and assets tests and
mutual obligation requirements are different from those that apply to Newstart
Allowance and are designed to allow farmers to remain on their farm (rather
than being forced to sell off all of their farm assets in order to qualify for
support). Certain waiting periods may also apply before an eligible recipient
can start receiving the FHA.[7]
Income test
To meet the FHA income test, a claimant must have income
below the cut-off point for Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance, whichever
applies (the cut-off point is the point at which a person’s Newstart Allowance
rate is reduced to zero under the Newstart Allowance income test).[8]
The current income test cut-off for a single Newstart Allowance recipient is
$1,036.34 per fortnight and for a partnered recipient it is $948.17 (each).[9]
Some off-farm income may be deducted when calculating
total income. Off-farm income is any amount earned, derived or received that
was not produced by an activity of the farm enterprise (such as agistment
payments, interest payments and rental income). The deduction can only be used
where the ordinary farm income from the farm enterprise is less than zero and
the off-farm income is being used to pay interest on a loan related to the farm
enterprise. A maximum of $80,000 of off-farm income can be deducted from
assessable income under the income test in this way, if the FHA claimant meets
all the applicable requirements for this deduction.[10]
Assets test
There are two parts of the assets test: one applies to
non-farm assets and the other to farm assets.
The non-farm and liquid assets test assesses liquid assets,
such cash held in bank accounts, term deposits and shares; and non-farm assets
such as jewellery, furniture, investment properties, businesses and vehicles.
The family home and up to two hectares of land surrounding it (on a single
title and used only for domestic purposes) is exempt from the non-farm assets
test.[11]
Currently, water assets are considered non-farm assets but only the net value
of water assets that exceeds $1.1 million is assessed.[12]
Some shares in marketing or processing entities that a farmer requires to sell
their product can also be exempt from the assets test.[13]
The combined value of assessable assets must not exceed
the asset limits for Newstart Allowance. The current asset test limits are:
- single
homeowner: $250,000
- single
non-homeowner: $450,000
- couple
homeowner combined: $375,000
- couple
non-homeowner combined: $575,000.[14]
The farm assets test assesses the net value of the farm’s
assets. To be eligible for the FHA, the total must not exceed $2.55 million.[15]
In some cases, hardship provisions can apply which allow
for some assets to be made exempt from the assets test. This can occur where a
person is unable to rearrange their financial affairs, is in severe financial
hardship and is unable to sell or borrow against an asset.[16]
Mutual
obligation requirements
The mutual obligation requirements for the FHA require a
recipient to complete a Farm Financial Assessment and enter into a Financial
Improvement Agreement.[17]
The Farm Financial Assessment considers the financial
position of the farmer, their partner and the farm. Up to $1,500 can be
provided to help cover the cost of consulting a prescribed advisor to complete
the assessment.[18]
The Financial Improvement Agreement is a plan for working
towards financial self-reliance and sets out activities to be undertaken to
improve the farmer’s financial situation. Activities can include undertaking
training or study, obtaining professional advice, seeking or being willing to
undertake paid work or any other activities approved by the Department of
Agriculture and Water Resources.[19]
Waiting
periods
As with other social security income support payments, a
range of different waiting periods can apply to recipients of the FHA which
mean that the payment is not immediately payable. Waiting periods can be served
concurrently. Waiting periods currently include:
- the
ordinary waiting period—one week, applies to all recipients
- the
liquid assets test waiting period—varying length, applies to those whose liquid
assets exceed a certain threshold amount
- the
Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period—two years, applies to new permanent
residents (exceptions apply for some migrants)
- the
Seasonal Worker Preclusion Period—varying length, applies to those with income
from seasonal or intermittent work in the six months prior to claiming the FHA
(does not include work on the farm enterprise the person has a right or
interest in)
- the
Income Maintenance Period—varying length, applies to those who have received
termination or leave payment (treats these payments as ordinary income over a
set period).[20]
Some of these waiting periods can be waived in part or in
full where a person is experiencing severe financial hardship and recipients
can be exempt in certain circumstances.[21]
The waiting periods of relevance to the Bill are the ordinary
waiting period and the liquid assets test waiting period.
The ordinary waiting period applies for one week from the
date payment is granted. It can be waived in full if the person is in severe
financial hardship or where they have been receiving another income support
payment within the last 13 weeks.[22]
A liquid assets test waiting period can apply if a couple
or single with dependants has liquid assets of $11,000 or more. The threshold
for singles is $5,500.[23]
Liquid assets are cash and any readily realisable assets. The liquid assets
test waiting period is worked out using the following calculation:
- for
a member of a couple or single with a dependent child: one week for every
$1,000 over the $11,000 threshold
- for
a single person with no dependent children: one week for every $500 over the
$5,500 threshold.[24]
The liquid assets test waiting period is separate from the
assets test for the FHA. The liquid assets test waiting period determines when
a claimant may be able to start receiving their payment, not whether or not
they qualify for a payment. Liquid assets assessed for the waiting period are
included in the first part of the assets test that determines eligibility for
the FHA.
Committee
consideration
Senate
Selection of Bills Committee
The Senate Selection of Bills Committee did not refer the
Bill to a committee for inquiry and report.[25]
Senate
Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
The Senate Scrutiny of Bills Committee had no comment on
the Bill.[26]
Policy
position of non-government parties/independents
The Labor Opposition has stated that it supports the Bill
but raised administrative issues farmers have had in accessing the
payment—primarily concerns with the complexity of the application process and
difficulties in contacting the Department of Human Services (which administers
the payment on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources).[27]
Nick Xenophon Team MP Rebekha Sharkie also supports the
Bill, stating it ‘begins to address the issues that have plagued the farm
household allowance program’.[28]
Independent MP Cathy McGowan also raised issues with the
Farm Household Allowance but appeared to be supportive of the measures in the
Bill:
I say to the minister: thank
you for what you have done, but it is not nearly enough. I pick up the point
that the member for Murray made about Senator McKenzie's visit. It is true; it
is absolutely true that the senator came to Indi, to Murray, to Gippsland and
to Corangamite. She did listen, that is true; however, where we have a massive
failure is with the action taken from the listening. It is really fantastic the
government comes and listens, but if it fails to take action on what our
farmers are saying it is for nought. I have Senator McKenzie's report here,
which I acknowledge. There are nine recommendations and areas for action;
however, in this particular piece of legislation—which is great to see—before
the House only two get addressed. So there is a long, long way to go. I have to
say to the minister: consultation is important, but if you fail to act you lose
the trust of the people you have been consulting with.[29]
Position of
major interest groups
It is unclear what the position of major interest groups
is on the measures proposed in the Bill.
Financial
implications
According to the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill, the
measures will have ‘minimal impact’ on the Budget.[30]
Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights
As required under Part 3 of the Human Rights
(Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 (Cth), the Government has assessed the
Bill’s compatibility with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared
in the international instruments listed in section 3 of that Act. The
Government considers that the Bill is compatible.[31]
Parliamentary
Joint Committee on Human Rights
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights found
that the Bill did not raise human rights concerns.[32]
Key issues
and provisions
Schedule 1—removal
of waiting periods
Schedule 1 will remove the ordinary waiting period and the
liquid assets test waiting period for the FHA. This will mean that all
applicants will no longer have to serve the one-week ordinary waiting period,
and those with significant liquid assets will not need to draw down on these
assets and can start receiving the FHA immediately (unless one of the other
waiting or preclusion periods applies).
Rationale
The rationale for the measure is to provide the FHA to
eligible farmers and their partners in a shorter timeframe. Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce stated
that requiring eligible farmers and partners to wait additional time ‘could
lead to additional hardship which risks a reduction in their capacity to
operate the farm enterprise’.[33]
Senator Bridget McKenzie has stated that the proposed
amendments were part of a response to a report following a series of roundtables
held between the Senator, departmental officials and Victorian dairy farmers in
December 2016.[34]
The report stated that one of the key themes that arose in the roundtables were
issues with the processing times for FHA applications.[35]
The report noted:
The treatment of liquid assets and waiting periods was also
questioned, particularly in relation to the sale of assets generating a ‘false’
income. It was also suggested that where a farmer is on FHA any employees of
the related farm business should be automatically eligible for Newstart (or
Youth) Allowance.[36]
Impact of
the measure
It is unclear whether the removal of these waiting periods
will address the issues raised by farmers regarding the time it takes to start
receiving FHA assistance.
During the Victorian dairy farmer roundtables, the main
concern raised with the timeliness of assistance was in regards to
administrative processing times—that is, the time taken to actually process
applications for FHA and determine eligibility. Minister for Human Services
Alan Tudge stated in his second reading speech on the Bill that in many cases
it was taking up to four months for FHA applications to be assessed.[37]
Minister Tudge has stated that the Government is piloting measures to reduce
the time taken to process FHA applications to four weeks for simple claims and
six weeks for more complex ones.[38]
Dairy farmer concerns with the liquid assets test waiting
period appeared to be in relation to the treatment of certain asset sales as
liquid assets rather than the waiting period itself.[39]
The proposed measures will address any issues with the liquid
assets test waiting period by abolishing it. This is a significant change given
that Australia’s social welfare system generally only provides assistance to
those with insufficient resources to support themselves. As Minister Joyce
stated: ‘These [waiting periods] are generally applied to ensure that social
welfare applicants use their own readily available resources before drawing on
public monies, and have incentives to continue to seek work’.[40]
Removing the liquid assets test waiting period will mean that farmers with
large sums of cash, savings or readily realisable assets will not need to make
use of these liquid assets before receiving assistance (provided those liquid assets
are still below the assets test thresholds).
Key
provisions
Farm
Household Support Act 2014
Item 1 of Schedule 1 repeals the definitions of liquid
assets test waiting period, ordinary waiting period and waiting
period from subsection 5(1) of the FHS Act.
Section 39 of the FHS Act currently provides that FHA
is not payable to a person while the person is subject to an ordinary waiting
period, a liquid assets test waiting period or a newly arrived resident’s
waiting period. Item 3 repeals and substitutes a new section 39,
which only refers to the Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period. The other two waiting
periods will be removed from the FHS Act by items 4 and 6 of
Schedule 1 to the Bill.
Item 4 repeals sections 40 and 41 which
provide for the ordinary waiting period.
Item 6 repeals sections 44 to 47 which
provide for the liquid assets test waiting period, the waiver of the liquid
assets test or ordinary waiting periods, and the clarification that FHA is not
payable to a person until all relevant waiting periods they are subject to have
been served.
Item 8 is an application provision which states
that the amendments apply to claims for FHA made on or after commencement, as
well as claims made prior to commencement where a decision has not been made
before commencement.
Schedule 2—farm
assets
Schedule 2 will change the treatment of certain assets so
that they can be assessed as farm assets under the FHA assets test rather than
non-farm assets. The specific purpose of the proposed amendments is to make the
definition of farm assets less restrictive and to specifically include water
entitlement rights as farm assets.
As described above, there are two parts to the FHA assets
test with different asset value limits applicable to farm assets and non-farm
assets. Currently, farm assets are defined as:
- a
right or interest in land used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a farm
enterprise or
- a
right or interest in livestock, crop, plant or equipment that:
– is
produce of a farm enterprise or
– is
used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a farm enterprise; other than
livestock, crop, plant or equipment leased out by the farm enterprise or
- certain
loans used to purchase a right or interest in one of the above which remain
unpaid.[41]
Water entitlement rights and shares in marketing
cooperatives currently fall outside this definition and are assessed as
non-farm assets. The Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill states that this is
‘contrary to the policy intent of the FHA programme’.[42]
Minister’s
rule exemptions
In May 2016, the Minister made the Farm Household Support
(Non-farm Assets) Minister’s Rule 2016 under section 92 of the FHS Act.[43]
The rule modified the effect of section 1118 of the Social Security Act 1991
so that certain assets would not be included in the non-farm assets test for
the FHA.[44]
Under the rule, assets that were not farm assets (as defined in the FHS Act)
but which were held for the purpose of carrying out a farm enterprise, and
could not be held for any other purpose, could be exempt from the non-farm
asset test (excluding cash, bank deposits or loans from a bank or financial
institution). The Explanatory Statement to the rule gave the example of shares
in a company or cooperative that are required for the purpose of carrying out a
farm enterprise.[45]
In December 2016, the rule was amended so that up $1.1 million
of the value of water rights held for the purpose of the farm enterprise could
be exempt from the non-farm assets test.[46]
The Explanatory Statement to the amending rule states that ‘this is a
provisional rule and may be superseded in the fullness of time’.[47]
Impact of
the measure
The proposed amendments will supersede the Minister’s
rule. However, rather than replicating the Minister’s rule in the statute, the
amendments will have a different impact. The provisions in the rule exclude the
value of certain assets from the non-farm assets test. The amendments will
include these assets in the farm assets test. This will mean that farmers with
substantial water entitlement rights, or farmers with shares in marketing
cooperatives (for example) will only be eligible for the FHA if the value of
these assets, together with other farm assets, are below $2.55 million. Under
the Minister’s rule provisions, a farmer could have up to $1.1 million in
exempt water right assets and up to $2.55 million in farm assets. Under
the proposed changes, the full value of those water rights will be assessed as
farm assets alongside any other farm assets.
The Government expects there will be no effect on the budget
from these changes, suggesting that very few people will be affected by the
proposed changes.[48]
However, there are only a small number of claims for the FHA, meaning that it is
difficult to assess the possible impact of the measure relative to its size.
Key
provisions
Farm
Household Support Act 2014
Item 2 inserts definitions of water access
entitlement, water allocation, water entitlement
right and water resource into the list of definitions at subsection
5(1) of the FHS Act.
Item 3 repeals and substitutes subsections 35(1)
and 35(2). These subsections define what are considered farm assets. Rather
than setting out specifically what is considered a farm asset, proposed
subsection 35(1) sets out a definition of farm asset as any asset used or
held wholly or mainly for the purposes of a farm enterprise and then sets out
what are not to be considered farm assets. Proposed paragraph 35(1)(d)
also allows for the Minister’s rules to prescribe an asset that is not a farm
asset. Proposed subsection 35(2) replicates the list of specific farm
assets in the definition currently at subsection 35(1) but specifies that this
does not limit the expansive definition at proposed subsection 35(1). It also
adds water entitlement rights to the list of specified farm assets.
Item 4 inserts new section 35A which defines
water entitlement rights. Water entitlement rights include rights under state
and territory law to hold or take water from a water resource, irrigation
rights, water delivery rights, contractual rights and rights of a kind specified
in the Minister’s rule.
Concluding comments
Overall, the measures will be beneficial to FHA claimants
though some farmers with water rights and other substantial farm assets may be
affected by the inclusion of these water rights in the farm assets test.
The removal of the liquid assets test waiting period is a
significant diversion from the principle underlying Australia’s welfare system
that people should draw on their own resources before seeking public
assistance. It will mean that farmers and their partners do not have to draw
down on their cash savings or other readily realisable assets before receiving
income support.
The waiting period measures do not specifically address
concerns around claim processing times but the Government has stated that it is
trialling other measures to speed up the administrative process.
[1]. Farm Household
Support Act 2014 (Cth).
[2]. Department
of Human Services (DHS), ‘Farm
Household Allowance’, DHS website, 20 March 2017.
[3]. This
in total and the cumulative period does not need to be consecutive. Department
of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR), ‘FHA
fact sheet’, DAWR website, 27 January 2017.
[4]. Explanatory
Memorandum, Farm Household Support Bill 2014, p. 3.
[5]. Ibid.,
p. 4.
[6]. M
McCormack, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, (proof), 1 March 2017, p. 95.
[7]. DHS,
‘Farm
Household Allowance’, op. cit.
[8]. DAWR,
‘FHA
fact sheet’, op. cit.
[9]. DHS,
‘Income
test for Newstart Allowance, Partner Allowance, Sickness Allowance and Widow
Allowance’, DHS website, 20 March 2017.
[10]. See
DAWR, Farm
Household Allowance: guidelines, DAWR, Canberra, November 2014,
pp. 29–31.
[11]. DHS,
‘Farm
Household Allowance’, op. cit.
[12]. DAWR,
‘FHA
fact sheet’, op. cit.
[13]. Ibid.
[14]. Ibid.
[15]. Ibid.
[16]. DAWR,
Farm
Household Allowance: guidelines, op. cit., p. 21.
[17]. DAWR,
‘FHA
fact sheet’, op. cit.
[18]. Ibid.
[19]. DAWR,
Farm
Household Allowance: guidelines, op. cit., p. 34.
[20]. DHS,
‘Waiting
periods’, DHS website, 25 November 2016.
[21]. See
Department of Social Services (DSS), Guide to social security law, version
1.230, ‘3.1.2.70
Exemptions from waiting periods’, DSS website, 20 March 2017.
[22]. DHS,
‘Ordinary
waiting period ‘, DHS website, 12 September 2016.
[23]. DHS,
‘Liquid
assets waiting period’, DHS website, 12 September 2016.
[24]. Farm
Household Support Act 2014, section 45.
[25]. Senate
Selection of Bills Committee, Report,
3, 2017, The Senate, Canberra, 23 March 2017.
[26]. Senate
Scrutiny of Bills Committee, Scrutiny
digest, 2, 2017, The Senate, 15 February 2017, p. 16.
[27]. J
Fitzgibbon, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, 1 March 2017, p. 32.
[28]. R
Sharkie, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, 1 March 2017, p. 43.
[29]. C
McGowan, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, 1 March 2017, p. 38.
[30]. Explanatory
Memorandum, Farm Household Support Bill 2017, p. 4.
[31]. Ibid.
The Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights can be found at pages 5–9 of
the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill.
[32]. Parliamentary
Joint Committee on Human Rights, Human
rights scrutiny report, 1, 2017, The Senate, 16 February 2017,
p. 32.
[33]. B
Joyce, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, 9 February 2017, p. 460.
[34]. B
McKenzie, Quick
action on dairy roundtables report, media release, 9 February 2017.
[35]. DAWR,
Victorian
dairy roundtables December 2016, DAWR, Canberra, 2017, [p. 6].
[36]. Ibid.,
[p. 7].
[37]. A
Tudge, ‘Second
reading speech: Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017’, House of
Representatives, Debates, (proof), 1 March 2017, p. 85.
[38]. Ibid.,
p. 86.
[39]. DAWR,
Victorian dairy roundtables December 2016, op. cit., [p. 7].
[40]. B
Joyce, op. cit.
[41]. Farm
Household Support Act 2014, section 35.
[42]. Explanatory
Memorandum, op. cit., p. 3.
[43]. Farm Household Support
(Non-farm Assets) Minister’s Rule 2016.
[44]. Social Security Act
1991, section 1118.
[45]. Explanatory
Statement, Farm Household Support (Non-farm Assets) Minister’s Rule 2016.
[46]. Farm Household
Support (Non-farm Assets) Amendment Rule 2016.
[47]. Explanatory
Statement, Farm Household Support (Non-farm Assets) Amendment Rule 2016.
[48]. B
Joyce, op. cit.
For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.
© Commonwealth of Australia
Creative Commons
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, and to the extent that copyright subsists in a third party, this publication, its logo and front page design are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia licence.
In essence, you are free to copy and communicate this work in its current form for all non-commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the work to the author and abide by the other licence terms. The work cannot be adapted or modified in any way. Content from this publication should be attributed in the following way: Author(s), Title of publication, Series Name and No, Publisher, Date.
To the extent that copyright subsists in third party quotes it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
Inquiries regarding the licence and any use of the publication are welcome to webmanager@aph.gov.au.
Disclaimer: Bills Digests are prepared to support the work of the Australian Parliament. They are produced under time and resource constraints and aim to be available in time for debate in the Chambers. The views expressed in Bills Digests do not reflect an official position of the Australian Parliamentary Library, nor do they constitute professional legal opinion. Bills Digests reflect the relevant legislation as introduced and do not canvass subsequent amendments or developments. Other sources should be consulted to determine the official status of the Bill.
Any concerns or complaints should be directed to the Parliamentary Librarian. Parliamentary Library staff are available to discuss the contents of publications with Senators and Members and their staff. To access this service, clients may contact the author or the Library‘s Central Enquiry Point for referral.