Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018

Administered by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Legislation au C2018A00087 In force Act

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018

 

No. 87, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to amend the Farm Household Support Act 2014, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedules

Schedule 1—Farm assets value limit

Farm Household Support Act 2014

Schedule 2—FHA supplement

Farm Household Support Act 2014

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

 

 

 

Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018

No. 87, 2018

 

 

 

An Act to amend the Farm Household Support Act 2014, and for related purposes

[Assented to 24 August 2018]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act is the Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018.

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

Provisions

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  The whole of this Act

The earlier of:

(a) the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent; and

(b) 1 September 2018.

25 August 2018

(paragraph (a) applies)

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedules

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.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

 

Farm Household Support Act 2014

1  Section 34

Repeal the section, substitute:

34  Farm assets value limit

 (1) Farm household allowance is not payable to a person if the value of the person’s farm assets exceeds the farm assets value limit.

 (2) Subject to this section, the limit is $2.6375 million.

Note: This limit is indexed annually each 1 July under Part 3.16 of the Social Security Act, because of Part 5 of this Act.

 (3) The farm assets value limit is $5 million for the period starting on the day prescribed by the Minister’s rules and ending on 30 June 2019.

 (4) If farm household allowance is payable to a person for one or more days in the period referred to in subsection (3), the farm assets value limit of $5 million continues to apply after that period in respect of a claim for the allowance made by the person before 1 July 2019.

Note: The $5 million limit, as it continues to apply because of subsection (4), is not indexed under Part 3.16 of the Social Security Act.

2  Section 95 (table item 3)

Omit “section 34” (wherever occurring), substitute “subsection 34(2)”.

3  Section 95 (table item 5)

Omit “section 34”, substitute “subsection 34(2)”.

4  Section 95 (table item 5)

Omit “1 July 2017”, substitute “1 July 2019”.

Schedule 2—FHA supplement

 

Farm Household Support Act 2014

1  Section 4

Omit:

 (c) funding (called the farm financial assessment supplement) to pay for an assessment of the financial position of a person and a relevant farm enterprise.

The rules dealing with how to make claims, how payments are made and review of decisions relating to payments under this Act are found in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act.

substitute:

 (c) funding (called the farm financial assessment supplement) to pay for an assessment of the financial position of a person and a relevant farm enterprise; and

 (d) additional funding (called the FHA supplement) for persons to whom farm household allowance is payable at any time between 1 September 2018 and 1 June 2019.

The rules dealing with claims, how payments are made and review of decisions relating to payments under this Act are found in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act.

2  Subsection 5(1)

Insert:

FHA supplement means a supplement payable under Part 4A.

qualifying period has the meaning given by subsection 89B(2).

3  After Part 4

Insert:

Part 4A—FHA supplement

 

89A  Simplified outline of this Part

This Part is about the FHA supplement. There are 2 payments of FHA supplement. A person qualifies for the first payment if farm household allowance is payable to the person at any time between 1 September 2018 and 1 December 2018. A person qualifies for the second payment if farm household allowance is payable to the person at any time between 2 December 2018 and 1 June 2019.

A claim is not required for FHA supplement. The rules dealing with how payments are made and review of decisions relating to the supplement are found in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act. (This is because Part 5 of this Act applies the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act in relation to the supplement.)

89B  Qualification for FHA supplement

 (1) A person is qualified for FHA supplement for a qualifying period if farm household allowance is payable to the person for at least one day in the qualifying period.

 (2) Each of the following periods is a qualifying period for the purposes of subsection (1):

 (a) the period starting on 1 September 2018 and ending on 1 December 2018;

 (b) the period starting on 2 December 2018 and ending on 1 June 2019.

89C  Amount of FHA supplement

 (1) The amount of FHA supplement for a person for a qualifying period is:

 (a) if the person’s rate of farm household allowance at any time in the qualifying period is calculated by reference to the person being a member of a couple—$3,000; or

 (b) otherwise—$3,600.

 (2) If:

 (a) an amount of FHA supplement is paid to a person; and

 (b) the amount should not have been paid to the person;

the amount is not a debt due to the Commonwealth.

 (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to an amount of FHA supplement obtained by fraud.

4  Section 90

Omit:

The farm household allowance, the activity supplement and the farm financial assessment supplement are all treated as if they were social security payments. As a result, the general rules in the Social Security Act and Social Security Administration Act relating to how to make claims, how payments are made and review of decisions apply in relation payments under this Act.

substitute:

The farm household allowance, the activity supplement, the farm financial assessment supplement and the FHA supplement are all treated as if they were social security payments. As a result, the general rules in the Social Security Act and Social Security Administration Act relating to claims, how payments are made and review of decisions apply in relation to payments under this Act.

5  Section 91 (example)

Omit “activity supplement and farm financial assessment supplement”, substitute “activity supplement, farm financial assessment supplement and FHA supplement”.

6  Subsection 93(1) (table item 6)

Omit “activity supplement and farm financial assessment supplement”, substitute “activity supplement, farm financial assessment supplement and FHA supplement”.

7  Section 95 (at the end of the table)

Add:

14

paragraphs 1231(1)(e), (f) and (g)

each reference in those paragraphs to social security payments did not include a reference to FHA supplement.

8  Subsection 105(3)

Omit “Part 3 (activity supplement) or Division 3 of Part 4 (farm financial assessment supplement)”, substitute “Part 3 (activity supplement), Division 3 of Part 4 (farm financial assessment supplement) or Part 4A (FHA supplement)”.

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

9  After section 12K

Insert:

12L  FHA supplement

  A claim is not required for FHA supplement.

10  Subsection 47(1) (after paragraph (hw) of the definition of lump sum benefit)

Insert:

 (hx) FHA supplement; or

11  After section 47CA

Insert:

47CB  Payment of FHA supplement

  If a person is qualified for FHA supplement for a qualifying period (within the meaning of the Farm Household Support Act 2014), the Secretary must pay the supplement to the person:

 (a) on the day the Secretary determines; and

 (b) in such manner as the Secretary considers appropriate.

12  Subclause 1(1) of Schedule 1

Insert:


FHA supplement has the meaning given by the Farm Household Support Act 2014.

 

 

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 16 August 2018

Senate on 22 August 2018]

 

(158/18)

 

Overview

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to amend the Farm Household Support Act 2014. The primary purpose of this legislation is to introduce temporary measures to provide additional support to farm households, particularly in light of economic challenges affecting the agricultural sector. The Act commenced on 25 August 2018, which is the earlier of Royal Assent or 1 September 2018. This legislation introduces temporary adjustments, such as an increased farm assets value limit and the provision of a Farm Household Allowance (FHA) supplement, to assist farm households during a specified period. The rules for claims, payment, and review of decisions relating to these payments are governed by the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act.

Scope and Application

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018 amends the Farm Household Support Act 2014 and introduces temporary measures to support farm households. This legislation applies to individuals and entities who are recipients of farm household allowance (FHA) under the Farm Household Support Act 2014, specifically those whose farm assets value does not exceed the prescribed limit. The Act also applies to the payment of the FHA supplement, a new form of financial assistance introduced to provide additional support to eligible farm households. The Act operates nationally across Australia and its provisions commence on 25 August 2018, or the day after Royal Assent, whichever is earlier. Notably, the Act temporarily raises the farm assets value limit from $2.6375 million to $5 million for the period starting on a day prescribed by the Minister and ending on 30 June 2019. If a person receives FHA for any part of this period, the higher limit continues to apply until 1 July 2019. The Act also introduces two payments of FHA supplement, one for the period between 1 September 2018 and 1 December 2018, and another for the period between 2 December 2018 and 1 June 2019. The Act does not require a claim for the FHA supplement, and the rules for payments and reviews are governed by the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act. The Act does not specify exclusions or exemptions, but it is subject to further regulation through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018 makes significant amendments to the Farm Household Support Act 2014, primarily concerning the farm assets value limit and the introduction of the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) supplement. Firstly, Section 34 of the Act (subsection 34(2)) introduces a temporary increase in the farm assets value limit from $2.6375 million to $5 million, effective from the date prescribed by the Minister until 30 June 2019 (Section 1(3)). If a person receives farm household allowance during this period, the $5 million limit will continue to apply to their claims until 1 July 2019 (Section 1(4)). Furthermore, Section 95 of the Act makes corresponding amendments to references within the Farm Household Support Act 2014 to reflect these changes. Additionally, the Act introduces the FHA supplement, which provides additional funding for persons who are eligible for farm household allowance between 1 September 2018 and 1 June 2019. Section 4 of the Act amends the definition of funding to include the FHA supplement, while Part 4A outlines the specifics of this new supplement. Individuals who are eligible for farm household allowance during the specified periods qualify for the FHA supplement, with the amount varying based on whether the person is a member of a couple (Section 89C(1)). The Act ensures that the FHA supplement is treated as a social security payment, subject to the rules and procedures outlined in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act (Section 90). The Act imposes several obligations on the parties involved. The Secretary, under the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, is required to pay the FHA supplement to qualified individuals on a date determined by the Secretary and in a manner deemed appropriate (Section 47CB). The Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act govern the claims process, payment methods, and review of decisions related to the FHA supplement. These obligations ensure that the temporary measures introduced by the Act are implemented efficiently and in compliance with existing social security frameworks. Breaches of the provisions set out in the Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Act 2018 may result in civil or criminal consequences, depending on the nature and severity of the offence. While the Act does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties, it is governed by the general rules and penalties stipulated in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Administration Act. These may include fines, imprisonment, or other penalties for fraudulent claims or misrepresentation of facts. It is important for individuals and entities to adhere to the rules to avoid any legal repercussions.

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Social Security Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Administrative Discretion

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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.