Papua New Guinea (Members of the Forces Benefits) Regulations (Amendment)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

STATUTORY RULES NO. 250

ISSUED BY AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA (MEMBERS OF THE FORCES BENEFITS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

Under section 9 of the Papua New Guinea (Members of the Forces Benefits) Act 1957, the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters which by the Act are required or permitted to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.

The proposed regulations give effect to the Government’s Budget decision to increase the amounts payable to Papua New Guinea Veterans and to adjust the payments twice yearly in line with movements in the Papua New Guinea Consumer Price Index. The proposed regulations also specify the amounts payable to Veterans in fortnightly amounts. Regulation 11 permits the prescribed authority to pay pension in instalments. The practice of paying pensions fortnightly has been adopted and it is desirable to express the rates in fortnightly instalments.

Details of the proposed regulations are as follows:

Regulation 2 - Indexation of pensions - inserts a new regulation 9A to allow for twice-yearly adjustment of pensions paid to Veterans, widows and orphans in line with movements in the Weighted Urban Average Consumer Price Index for Papua New Guinea.

Regulations 2 provide for adjustment of pensions each May and November based on Consumer Price Index figures for the previous December and June quarters, commencing on 1 May 1984.

Regulation 3 - Increase in pensions - The existing First Schedule specifies the monthly amount of disability pension payable to Veterans and their dependants.

Regulation 3 changes the First Schedule to Schedule 1, increases the amounts payable to Veterans, widows and orphans and converts the amounts to fortnightly instead of monthly payments for all instalments due after 1 November 1983.

The proposed amended rates are as follows: