Repatriation Act (No. 2) 1972 (Cth)

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Repatriation (No. 2)

No. 82 of 1972

An Act to amend the Repatriation Act 1920–1971, as amended by the Repatriation Act 1972, so as to provide for Increases in the Rates of certain Pensions and Allowances payable to certain persons, and for other Repatriation purposes, and to appropriate the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of certain payments resulting from those amendments.

[Assented to 27 September 1972]

BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Repatriation Act (No. 2) 1972.

(2.) The Repatriation Act 1920–1971, as amended by the Repatriation Act 1972, is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.) Section 1 of the Repatriation Act 1972 is amended by omitting sub-section (3.).

(4.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Repatriation Act 1920–1972.

Commencement.

2.This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

3. Section 23 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a)by omitting the definition of “Child” and inserting in its stead the following definition:—

“ ‘Child’, in relation to a member of the Forces, means a son, step-son or adopted son, or a daughter, step-daughter or adopted daughter, of the member—

(a) who is under the age of sixteen years; or

(b) who—

(i) has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty-one years;

(ii) is receiving full-time education at a school, college or university; and

 

(iii) is not in receipt of an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972;”; and

(b) by omitting paragraph (c) of the definition of “Dependant” and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—

“(c) a child (other than an ex-nuptial child) of the member;”.

Rates of pension.

4.Section 35 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from sub-section (1.) the words “The rates” and inserting in their stead the words “Subject to the next succeeding section, the rates”.

5. After section 35 of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Rate of pension to certain dependants who are children.

“35aa.—(1.) This section applies to a dependant of a member of the Forces—

(a) who is a child of the member;

(b) who has attained the age of sixteen years; and

(c) to or in respect of whom a maintenance or living allowance or a salary is payable by the Commonwealth under the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme or under any other scheme for assistance by the Commonwealth in the education or training of children.

“(2.) Where the maintenance or living allowance or the salary payable by the Commonwealth to or in respect of a dependant to whom this section applies—

(a) is payable under the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme; or

(b)is payable under a scheme other than the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme at a fortnightly rate that equals or exceeds the fortnightly rate of the corresponding Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme allowance in relation to that dependant,

no pension is payable to or in respect of that dependant under this Division or Division 6, 7, 8 or 9 of this Part.

“(3.) Where—

(a)the maintenance or living allowance or the salary payable by the Commonwealth to or in respect of a dependant to whom this section applies is payable under a scheme other than the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme; and

(b)the amount of the fortnightly rate of that maintenance or living allowance or that salary is less than the amount of the fortnightly rate of the corresponding Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme allowance in relation to that dependant,

the fortnightly instalment of the pension payable to that dependant under this Division or Division 6, 7, 8 or 9 of this Part shall not exceed the amount by which the first-mentioned amount referred to in paragraph (b) of this sub-section is less than the other amount referred to in that paragraph.

 

“(4.) In this section—

‘the corresponding Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme allowance in relation to a dependant who is not an eligible child for the purposes of the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme, means the maintenance or living allowance that would be payable to or in respect of the dependant under the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme if the dependant were an eligible child for the purposes of that Scheme;

‘the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme’ means the Soldiers’ Children Education Scheme prepared by the Commission in accordance with the regulations.”.

Pensions payable for limited period in certain cases.

6. Section 39 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a)by inserting in sub-section (1.), after the word “widow”, the words “, or a child,”; and

(b) by inserting after sub-section (1.) the following sub-section:—

“(1a.) A pension payable to a dependant of a member of the Forces by reason of his being a child of the member ceases to be payable when the dependant ceases to be such a child.”.

7. After section 40 of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Change of status of child to be notified.

“40aa.—(1.) This section applies to a dependant of a member of the Forces who—

(a) is a child of the member;

(b) has attained the age of sixteen years; and

(c) is in receipt of a pension, other than a service pension.

“(2.) Where a dependant to whom this section applies—

(a) ceases to receive full-time education at a school, college or university;

(b) commences to receive an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972; or

(c) commences to receive a maintenance or living allowance or a salary payable by the Commonwealth under any scheme for assistance by the Commonwealth in the education or training of children, or to receive that allowance or salary at a higher rate than before,

the person who has the custody, care and control of that dependant shall, within fourteen days after that dependant so ceases or so commences, notify the Commission or a Board accordingly.

“(3.) Where a dependant to whom this section applies ceases to be in the custody, care and control of a person, that person shall, within fourteen days after that dependant so ceases, notify the Commission or a Board accordingly.

Penalty: Forty dollars.”.

 

Interpretation.

8. Section 83 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a)by inserting in the definition of “Income” in sub-section (1.), after paragraph (b), the following paragraph:—

“(ba) an instalment of a superannuation pension;”; and

(b) by inserting at the end of sub-section (1.) the following definition:—

“‘Superannuation pension’ means payments made periodically (including payments under a law of the Commonwealth, a State, a Territory of the Commonwealth or a country other than Australia) to a person, or to the former spouse of a deceased person, in consequence of—

(a)the past employment or past services of that first-mentioned person or that deceased person as an employee or in any other capacity;

(b)contributions made by that first-mentioned person or that deceased person under a law providing for benefits for contributors; or

(c)an investment of moneys made by that first-mentioned person or that deceased person by way of an annuity, being a transaction entered into in the ordinary course of business of the other party to it,

but does not include payments by way of, or in the nature of, compensation for injury, disability or death.”; and

(c) by omitting paragraph (a) of sub-section (3.).

9. After section 83 of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Superannuation pension may be included in “income”.

“83a. Where—

(a) a superannuation pension is payable to a person; and

(b)the rate of service pension payable to the person would be greater if that superannuation pension were not included in the accumulated property of the person for the purposes of this Division but each instalment of that superannuation pension were treated as income of the person for the purposes of this Division,

the superannuation pension shall be treated accordingly.”.

Pension in respect of a member permanently unemployable, &c.

10. Section 85 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-section (1.) the words—

“Four hundred and sixteen dollars per annum.”

and inserting in their stead the words—

“The maximum rate of pension per annum that would be applicable to the wife if she were qualified to receive a wife’s pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972.”;

 

(b)by omitting sub-section (3.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-section:—

“(3.) A pension under this section shall not be granted to the wife or a child of a member of the Forces unless a pension under this Division is payable to or in respect of the member or the member would, in the opinion of the Commission or a Board, have been granted a pension under this Division but for his death before the determination of an application made by him before his death.”; and

(c) by omitting from sub-section (3a.) the words “paragraph (a) of”.

Variation of rate of service pension according to means.

11. Section 87 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-section:—

“(1.) A service pension shall not be granted at a rate that exceeds the highest rate at which an age pension or, if the grant is to be made to a woman by reason that she is the wife of a member, a wife’s pension could be payable to the service pensioner under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972 if the service pensioner were qualified to receive an age pension or a wife’s pension, as the case may be, under that Part.”.

Net capital value of accumulated property.

12. Section 90 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by inserting in paragraph (a)of sub-section (1.), after the words “personal property”, the words “and any superannuation pension”;

(b) by adding at the end of sub-paragraph (iv) of paragraph (b) of sub-section (1.) the words other than a superannuation pension”; and

(c) by inserting after sub-section (1b.) the following sub-sections:—

“(1c.) The value of a superannuation pension payable to a person who has not attained the age of ninety-nine years is an amount equal to the product of the amount of the annual rate of the superannuation pension and the conversion factor set out in column 2 of the Seventh Schedule to this Act opposite to the age next birthday of the person in column 1 of that Schedule.

“(1d.) Where a person in receipt of a superannuation pension has attained the age of ninety-nine years, the value of that superannuation pension shall be disregarded.”.

Supplementary assistance.

13.—(1.) Section 98a of the Principal Act is amended—

(a)by omitting sub-section (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-sections:—

“(1.) This section applies to a person if—

(a) the person is a service pensioner;

(b) the amount of that person’s means as assessed is less than Two hundred and sixty dollars; and

 

(c) the Commission is satisfied that that person—

(i) requires supplementary assistance by reason that that person or that person’s husband or wife pays rent; and

(ii) is entirely or substantially dependent upon that person’s pension.

“(1a.) A person does not comply with sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (c) of the last preceding sub-section by reason only that the wife or husband of the person pays for lodging, or for board and lodging, in premises outside the matrimonial home.

“(1b.) Where a husband and wife are living apart, neither spouse complies with sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (c) of sub-section (1.) of this section by reason only that the other spouse pays rent.”;

(b) by omitting sub-section (3.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-sections:—

“(3.) Where a person is a person—

(a)the rate of whose service pension is calculated having regard to paragraph (a) of sub-section (1a.) of section twenty-eight of the Social Services Act 1947–1972;

(b)in respect of whom a determination is in force under sub-section (2.) of section eighty-four of this Act; or

(c) in respect of whose wife or husband a determination is in force under sub-section (2.) of section eighty-four of this Act,

the rate at which an allowance under this section is payable to that first-mentioned person is—

(d)where the amount of his means as assessed is Fifty-two dollars or less—Two hundred and eight dollars per annum; or

(e) in any other case—an amount per annum equal to the amount by which Two hundred and sixty dollars exceeds the amount of his means as assessed.

“(3a.) The rate at which an allowance under this section is payable to a person, other than a person to whom the last preceding sub-section applies, is one-half of the rate at which the allowance would be payable if the person were a person to whom the last preceding sub-section applies.”; and

(c) by omitting sub-sections (4a.) and (4b.) and inserting in their stead the following sub-section:—

“(4a.) An allowance under this section is not payable to a child of a member of the Forces.”.

 

(2.) Where, on the relevant pension pay day for the purposes of section 24 of this Act—

(a) a member of the Forces is in receipt of a service pension;

(b)the wife of the member is in receipt of a service pension by reason of being his wife and is not living apart from the member; and

(c) the member is also in receipt of an allowance by way of supplementary assistance under the Repatriation Act 1920–1972,

the wife shall, by force of this sub-section, be deemed—

(d)to have been granted an allowance by way of supplementary assistance at a rate ascertained by the Commission in accordance with section 98a of the Repatriation Act 1920–1972; and

(e)to be entitled to be paid the first fortnightly instalment of the allowance so granted on that pay day.

(3.) An allowance payable under the last preceding sub-section may be cancelled or suspended, and the rate at which it is payable may be increased or reduced, in accordance with the Repatriation Act 1920–1972.

Extension of application of Act to certain male members of the Forces.

14. Section 99 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (b)of sub-section (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-paragraphs:—

“(iii) a child (other than an ex-nuptial child) of a member of the Forces;

(iiia) an ex-nuptial child of a member of the Forces, being a child who—

(A) was born not later than nine months after the termination of the member’s war service; or

(B) has been adopted by the member;”; and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(3.) For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (iii) and (iiia) of paragraph (b)of the last preceding sub-section, ‘child in relation to a member of the Forces, means a son, step-son or adopted son, or a daughter, step-daughter or adopted daughter, of the member—

(a) who is under the age of sixteen years; or

(b) who—

(i) has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty-one years;

(ii) is receiving full-time education at a school, college or university; and

(iii) is not in receipt of an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972.”.

 

Extension of application of Act to members of Women’s Services.

15. Section 104 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (b)of sub-section (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-paragraphs:—

“(ii) a child (other than an ex-nuptial child) of a member of the Forces;

(iia) an ex-nuptial child of a member of the Forces, being a child who—

(A) was born not later than nine months after the termination of the member’s war service; or

(B) has been adopted by the member; and”.

Interpretation.

16. Section 105 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting the definition of “child” and inserting in its stead the following definition:—

“‘child’, in relation to a member of the Forces, means a son, stepson or adopted son, or a daughter, step-daughter or adopted daughter, of the member—

(a) who is under the age of sixteen years; or

(b) who—

(i) has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty-one years;

(ii) is receiving full-time education at a school, college or university; and

(iii) is not in receipt of an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972;”.

Extension of application of Act to certain male members of the Forces.

17. Section 107aof the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (b)of sub-section (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-paragraphs:—

“(iii) a child (other than an ex-nuptial child) of a member of the Forces;

(iiia) an ex-nuptial child of a member of the Forces, being a child who—

(A) was born not later than nine months after the termination of the member’s war service; or

(B) has been adopted by the member;”; and

 

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(3.) For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (iii) and (iiia) of paragraph (b)of the last preceding sub-section, ‘child’, in relation to a member of the Forces, means a son, step-son or adopted son, or a daughter, step-daughter or adopted daughter, of the member—

(a) who is under the age of sixteen years; or

(b) who—

(i) has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty-one years;

(ii) is receiving full-time education at a school, college or university; and

(iii) is not in receipt of an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972.”.

Extension of application of Act to members of Women’s Services.

18. Section 107e of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (b)of sub-section (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-paragraphs:—

“(ii) a child (other than an ex-nuptial child) of a member of the Forces;

(iia) an ex-nuptial child of a member of the Forces, being a child who—

(A) was born not later than nine months after the termination of the member’s war service; or

(B) has been adopted by the member; and”; and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(3.) For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (ii) and (iia) of paragraph (b)of the last preceding sub-section, ‘child’, in relation to a member of the Forces, means a son, step-son or adopted son, or a daughter, step-daughter or adopted daughter, of the member—

(a) who is under the age of sixteen years; or

(b) who—

(i) has attained the age of sixteen years but is under the age of twenty-one years;

(ii) is receiving full-time education at a school, college or university; and

(iii) is not in receipt of an invalid pension under Part III. of the Social Services Act 1947–1972.”.

 

First Schedule.

19.—(1.) The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by omitting the scale and inserting in its stead the following scale:—

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Rank or Rating of the Member

Pension payable to Widowed Mother on Death of Member

Pension payable to Widow on Death of Member

Pension payable to Member on Total Incapacity

$

$

$

per fortnight

per fortnight

per fortnight

All ranks and ratings below Leading Seaman, Corporal and relative ranks and ratings......................................

9.00

40.00

28.00

Leading Seaman, Corporal and relative ranks and ratings 

10.00

40.00

28.00

Petty Officer, Sergeant and relative ranks and ratings.

10.30

40.00

28.00

Chief Petty Officer, Staff Sergeant, Flight Sergeant and relative ranks and ratings..................................................

10.55

40.00

28.00

Warrant Officer and relative ranks............................

11.35

40.00

28.00

All Commissioned ranks below Lieutenant (Navy), Captain (Army), Flight Lieutenant (Air Force) and relative ranks 

11.80

40.00

28.00

Lieutenant (Navy), Captain (Army), Flight Lieutenant (Air Force) and relative ranks.................................................

12.80

40.00

28.00

Lieutenant-Commander, Major, Squadron Leader and relative ranks...................................................................

13.90

40.00

28.00

Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel, Wing Commander and relative ranks...................................................................

15.10

40.00

28.00

Captain (Navy), Colonel, Group Captain and relative ranks 

16.30

40.00

28.00

All ranks higher than Captain (Navy), Colonel, Group Captain and relative ranks.......................................................

16.60

40.10

28.00

(2.) The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by omitting from paragraph 6 the words “Sixty-two dollars fifty cents” and inserting in their stead the words “Sixty-eight dollars”.

Second Schedule.

20. The Second Schedule to the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting the words—

“Rate for Special Pensions—Eighty-nine Dollars per Fortnight.”

and inserting in their stead the words—

“Rate for Special Pensions—Ninety-six Dollars per Fortnight.”;

(b)by omitting the words “Nineteen dollars” and inserting in their stead the words “Twenty-one dollars”; and

(c) by omitting the words “Thirty-two dollars” and inserting in their stead the words “Thirty-five dollars”.

Third Schedule.

21. The Third Schedule to the Principal Act is amended—

(a)by omitting from Table A the symbol and figures “$28.00” (wherever occurring) and inserting in their stead the symbol and figures “$29.40”;

(b)by omitting from Table A the symbol and figures “$14.00” and inserting in their stead the symbol and figures “$14.70”; and

(c) by omitting from Table A the words “wife’s allowance under the Social Services Act 1947–1963” and inserting in their stead the words “wife’s pension under the Social Services Act 1947–1972”.

Fifth Schedule.

22.The Fifth Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by omitting the table in paragraph 1 and inserting in its stead the following table:—

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Description of Disability

Amount

Allowance

$

per fortnight

$

per fortnight

Two arms amputated........................................................................

68.00

35.00

Two legs and one arm amputated.......................................................

68.00

21.00

Two legs amputated above the knee...................................................

68.00

21.00

Two legs amputated and loss of eye...................................................

68.00

..

One leg and one arm amputated and one eye destroyed.......................

68.00

..

One leg and one arm amputated.........................................................

68.00

..

One leg amputated above, and one leg amputated below, the knee.......

23.50

..

Two legs amputated below the knee..................................................

15.80

..

One arm amputated and one eye destroyed.........................................

13.70

..

One leg amputated and one eye destroyed..........................................

13.70

..

One leg amputated above the knee.....................................................

6.80

..

One leg amputated below the knee.....................................................

3.60

..

One arm amputated above the elbow.................................................

6.80

..

One arm amputated below the elbow.................................................

3.60

..

Loss of vision in one eye...................................................................

5.30

..

Seventh Schedule.

23.The Principal Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the Schedule set out in the Schedule to this Act.

Application of certain amendments.

24.In so far as an amendment made by this Act affects instalments of pensions or allowances, the amendment applies in relation to an instalment of a pension or of an allowance falling due on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent, if that day is a pension pay day, or, if it is not, on the first pension pay day after that day, and to all subsequent instalments.

Appropriation.

25.—(1.) The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated to the extent necessary for the purposes of such expenditure in pursuance of the Principal Act as amended by this Act as results from this Act, being expenditure on or before the thirtieth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-three.

(2.) The last preceding sub-section does not prevent the issue and application of moneys, for the purposes referred to in that sub-section, in pursuance of an appropriation made by an Act other than this Act (whether passed before or after this Act receives the Royal Assent).

 

THE SCHEDULE Section 23.

Schedule to be Added at the end of the Principal Act

SEVENTH SCHEDULE Section 90.

Conversion Factors for Calculating the Value as Property Equivalent of Superannuation Pensions

Column 1

Column 2

Column 1

Column 2

Age next birthday

Conversion factor

Age next birthday

Conversion factor

16..............................................

15.9

58..............................................

9.8

17..............................................

15.9

59..............................................

9.6

18..............................................

15.8

60..............................................

9.3

19..............................................

15.8

61..............................................

9.1

20..............................................

15.7

62..............................................

8.8

21..............................................

15.7

63..............................................

8.5

22..............................................

15.6

64..............................................

8.3

23..............................................

15.5

65..............................................

8.0

24..............................................

15.5

66..............................................

7.8

25..............................................

15.4

67..............................................

7.5

26..............................................

15.3

68..............................................

7.3

27..............................................

15.2

69..............................................

7.0

28..............................................

15.2

70..............................................

6.7

29..............................................

15.1

71..............................................

6.5

30..............................................

15.0

72..............................................

6.2

31..............................................

14.9

73..............................................

6.0

32..............................................

14.7

74..............................................

5.7

33..............................................

14.6

75..............................................

5.5

34..............................................

14.5

76..............................................

5.3

35..............................................

14.4

77..............................................

5.0

36..............................................

14.3

78..............................................

4.8

37..............................................

14.1

79..............................................

4.6

38..............................................

14.0

80..............................................

4.3

39..............................................

13.8

81..............................................

4.1

40..............................................

13.7

82..............................................

3.9

41..............................................

13.5

83..............................................

3.7

42..............................................

13.3

84..............................................

3.5

43..............................................

13.1

85..............................................

3.3

44..............................................

13.0

86..............................................

3.2

45..............................................

12.8

87..............................................

3.0

46..............................................

12.6

88..............................................

2.8

47..............................................

12.4

89..............................................

2.7

48..............................................

12.2

90..............................................

2.5

49..............................................

12.0

91..............................................

2.4

50..............................................

11.7

92..............................................

2.3

51..............................................

11.5

93..............................................

2.2

52..............................................

11.3

94..............................................

2.1

53..............................................

11.0

95..............................................

2.0

54..............................................

10.8

96..............................................

1.9

55..............................................

10.6

97..............................................

1.8

56..............................................

10.3

98..............................................

1.7

57..............................................

10.1

99..............................................

1.6

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