Cowan and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Cowan) considered an appeal by Ms. Cowan against a decision by the Secretary of the Department of Social Services concerning her eligibility for a disability support pension. The core of the dispute revolved around the application of the *Social Security (International Agreements) Act 1999* (Cth) to Ms. Cowan's circumstances, specifically whether she met the criteria for being severely disabled.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether Ms. Cowan was a severely disabled person for the purposes of the *Social Security Act 1991* (Cth), taking into account the provisions of the *Social Security (International Agreements) Act 1999* (Cth). This involved assessing whether her impairments, when considered in conjunction with any relevant international agreements, rendered her unable to work.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision under review. While the specific reasoning is not detailed in the provided text, the outcome indicates that the Tribunal found Ms. Cowan did not meet the threshold for a disability support pension under the relevant legislative framework, including the international agreements considered.