Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006

Administered by Department of Veterans' Affairs

Legislation au C2006A00136 In force Act

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006

 

No. 136, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to amend laws, and to deal with transitional matters, in connection with the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedule(s)

Schedule 1—Consequential amendments

Aged Care Act 1997

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

National Health Act 1953

Social Security Act 1991

Schedule 2—Transitional provisions

 

 

 

Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006

No. 136, 2006

 

 

 

An Act to amend laws, and to deal with transitional matters, in connection with the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, and for related purposes

[Assented to 30 November 2006]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act may be cited as the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provision(s)

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table

The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

30 November 2006

2.  Schedules 1 and 2

At the same time as the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006 commences.

1 December 2006

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally passed by both Houses of the Parliament and assented to. It will not be expanded to deal with provisions inserted in this Act after assent.

 (2) Column 3 of the table contains additional information that is not part of this Act. Information in this column may be added to or edited in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedule(s)

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.


Schedule 1—Consequential amendments

 

Aged Care Act 1997

1  Paragraph 863(i)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (i) to the Secretary of the Department administered by the Minister who administers the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, for purposes connected with the provision of treatment under:

 (i) Part V of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986; or

 (ii) Chapter 6 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004; or

 (iii) the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006; and

2  Paragraph 866(a)

Omit “or section 409 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004”, substitute “, section 409 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 or section 36 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006”.

Note: The heading to section 866 is replaced by the heading “Limits on use of protected information disclosed under certain legislation”.

3  At the end of subsection 9610(2)

Add:

 ; or (c) treatment (within the meaning of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006) that the Repatriation Commission has arranged under section 12 of that Act.

4  Subsection 9610(2) (note)

Omit “and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004”, substitute “, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006”.

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

5  Section 1115 (table item headed “social security or like payments”)

After:

social security, payment to

Subdivision 52A

insert:

travelling expenses for Australian participants in British nuclear tests

Subdivision 52CB

6  After Subdivision 52CA

Insert:

Subdivision 52‑CB—Exempt payments under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006

52‑117  Payments of travelling expenses are exempt

  A payment made to you under Part 3 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006 is exempt from income tax.

National Health Act 1953

7  Subsection 4(1) (at the end of the definition of Repatriation nursing home patient)

Add:

 ; or (c) under section 15 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006.

8  Subsection 84(1) (paragraph (b) of the definition of medicare card)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (b) a card or written authorisation provided to a person that evidences a person’s eligibility for pharmaceutical benefits under:

 (i) the scheme known as the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme established under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986; or

 (ii) a scheme that applies under section 18 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006; or

9  Subsection 84(1) (at the end of the definition of repatriation pharmaceutical benefit)

Add “or subsection 4(1) of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006”.

10  Subparagraph 84C(4A)(a)(ii)

Omit “and”, substitute “or”.

11  At the end of paragraph 84C(4A)(a)

Add:

 (iii) under a scheme that applies under section 18 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006; and

Social Security Act 1991

12  After paragraph 10B(4)(ca)

Insert:

 (cb) a payment under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006 that is exempt from income tax under Subdivision 52CB of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997; or


Schedule 2—Transitional provisions

 

1  Claims made on or after 19 June 2006—eligibility to be provided with treatment

(1) If:

 (a) a person made a claim on or after 19 June 2006 but before the commencement of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006; and

 (b) had the claim been made after that commencement, it would have been a claim made, in accordance with section 6 of that Act, for a determination that he or she is an eligible person (within the meaning of that Act);

the claim is taken, for the purposes of that Act, to be a claim made under section 8 of that Act for such a determination.

(2) The Commission may, under section 13 of that Act, approve the provision of treatment that was provided before the claim was made, but must not approve the provision of treatment that was provided before 19 June 2006.

2  Claims made on or after 19 June 2006—entitlement to travelling expenses

(1) If:

 (a) a person made a claim on or after 19 June 2006 but before the commencement of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006; and

 (b) had the claim been made after that commencement, it would have been a claim made, in accordance with section 6 of that Act, for a determination that he or she is entitled to be paid travelling expenses under Part 3 of that Act;

the claim is taken, for the purposes of that Act, to be a claim made under section 21 of that Act for such a determination.

(2) The person can, under Part 3 of that Act, be entitled to be paid travelling expenses in connection with travel that occurred before the claim was made, but not in connection with travel that occurred before 19 June 2006.

3  Application of amendments to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

The amendments made by items 5 and 6 of Schedule 1 apply to assessments for the 200607 year of income and later years of income.

 

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 14 September 2006

Senate on 12 October 2006]

(138/06)

 

Overview

The Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006 was enacted to amend various laws and address transitional matters in connection with the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, which provides treatment to Australians who participated in British nuclear tests. The Act was passed by the Parliament of Australia and received Royal Assent on 30 November 2006. It aims to ensure that the new legislation fits seamlessly within the existing legal framework and provides for the smooth transition of relevant provisions. The Act includes consequential amendments to several Acts, such as the Aged Care Act 1997, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the National Health Act 1953, and the Social Security Act 1991, to reflect the changes introduced by the principal Act. Additionally, it outlines transitional provisions to handle claims made before the commencement of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, ensuring that those claims are treated appropriately under the new legislation. The policy objective of the Act is to ensure that the provisions of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006 are implemented effectively and that any transitional issues are resolved to the benefit of the affected individuals. By making these consequential amendments and providing for transitional measures, the Act aims to maintain the integrity of the legal system while addressing the specific needs of Australian participants in British nuclear tests.

Scope and Application

The Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006 applies to individuals and entities affected by the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, particularly those who were participants in British nuclear tests and their dependents. This Act serves to amend existing laws and address transitional matters to ensure consistent and fair treatment of affected individuals. The scope of the Act is national, as it pertains to federal legislation and impacts various sectors including veterans' affairs, health, and taxation. Notably, the Act makes specific amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the National Health Act 1953, and the Social Security Act 1991 to align these laws with the provisions of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006. Furthermore, the Act includes transitional provisions to ensure that claims and entitlements made before the commencement of the principal Act are appropriately handled, particularly for those who made claims on or after 19 June 2006 but before the Act's official commencement. The Act does not specify exclusions or thresholds, but the application of certain amendments is limited to assessments for the 2006-07 year of income and subsequent years.

Key Provisions

The Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2006 primarily serves to integrate and align various legislative provisions with the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, which deals with the treatment of Australian citizens who participated in British nuclear tests. This Act makes amendments to several existing statutes to ensure that they work in harmony with the new provisions introduced by the principal Act. Specifically, it amends the Aged Care Act 1997, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, National Health Act 1953, and Social Security Act 1991 to incorporate the new treatment provisions for participants in British nuclear tests. These amendments ensure that the new treatment provisions are properly recognised and integrated into the existing frameworks of these Acts. The Act imposes various obligations on the relevant parties and entities it governs. For example, under the Aged Care Act 1997, it mandates that certain protected information can be disclosed to the Secretary of the Department administered by the Minister who administers the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 for purposes connected with treatment provision. Similarly, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 is amended to exempt travelling expenses for Australian participants in British nuclear tests from income tax. The National Health Act 1953 is also amended to recognise the eligibility of certain individuals for specific treatments under the new Act, and the Social Security Act 1991 is adjusted to recognise certain payments as exempt from income tax under the new framework. Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act can lead to various legal consequences. While the Act itself does not explicitly state specific offences or penalties, breaches of the amended Acts (such as the Aged Care Act 1997, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, National Health Act 1953, and Social Security Act 1991) could potentially incur penalties under those respective statutes. For instance, misuse of protected information under the Aged Care Act 1997 could result in civil or criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as stipulated by the relevant sections of that Act. Additionally, non-compliance with tax exemptions under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 could lead to financial penalties and legal actions by the Australian Taxation Office. These potential consequences underscore the importance of adhering to the amended provisions as set out in this Act.

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Health Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment
Transitional Provisions
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.