Social Assistance Legislation (Budget 2019 Welfare Package) Amendment Bill

Bills are proposals to make a new law or to change an existing one. Only Parliament can pass a bill. Each bill goes through several stages, giving MPs and the public the chance to have their say.

This omnibus bill gives effect to the income support policy changes announced through Budget 2019. It repeals sections 192 to 194 of the Social Security Act 2018, ensures mandatory annual adjustment of main benefits by the percentage of any increase in net average weekly earnings, and creates a new regulation-making power under the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 to enable increases to the abatement thresholds for any income-tested rate of the veteran’s pension announced through Budget 2019 to be made in future years.