Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4)

Administered by Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Legislation au F2012L00676 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4)

as amended

made under subsection 106lL (2) of the

Social Security Act 1991

This compilation was prepared on 24 August 2012
taking into account amendments up to Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 4)

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra

Contents

 1 Name of determination [see Note 1]

 2 Commencement [see Note 1]

 3 Definitions

 4 Person adversely affected by a major disaster

Schedule 1 Major disaster

Schedule 2 Circumstances in which person adversely affected

Notes  

 

 

 

1 Name of determination [see Note 1]

  This determination is the Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4).

2 Commencement [see Note 1]

  This determination commences on the day after it is registered.

3 Definitions

 (1) In this determination:

Act means the Social Security Act 1991.

destroyed, for a place of residence, includes a residence damaged to the extent that it must be demolished.

immediate family member, of a person, means:

 (a) the person’s partner; or

 (b) the person’s natural child, adoptive child or stepchild; or

 (c) the person’s natural parent, adoptive parent or stepparent; or

 (d) the person’s legal guardian; or

 (e) the person’s brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister.

Note   This term is used in a different sense to that used in the Act.

major damage, for a residence, means:

 (a) damage to at least a quarter of the interior of the residence; or

 (b) that the residence is structurally unsound; or 

 (c) damage to the residence that exposes at least a quarter of the interior of the residence to the elements; or

 (d) sewage contamination of the interior of the residence, or of the water supply to the residence.

seriously injured, for a person, means:

 (a) the person has sustained an injury; and

 (b) because of the injury:

 (i) the person was admitted to hospital; or

 (ii) under normal circumstances, the person would have been admitted to hospital.

utility service means one of the following services:

 (a) water;

 (b) electricity;

 (c) gas;

 (d) sewerage.

 (2) In this determination:

 (a) a place of residence is a person’s principal place of residence if the person regularly lives at the place with a degree of settled purpose and the person has a lawful right to reside at the place; and

 (b) it is possible for a person to have more than one principal place of residence; and

 (c) a prison or place of detention is not a principal place of residence; and

 (d) a secondary residence used for holidays is not a principal place of residence.

4 Person adversely affected by a major disaster

  For subsection 1061L (2) of the Act, a person is adversely affected by a major disaster mentioned in Schedule 1 if the person is affected in a way mentioned in Schedule 2.

Note   Subsection 36 (1) of the Social Security Act 1991 allows the Minister to determine, in writing, that an event is a major disaster if the event is a disaster that has such significant impact on individuals that a government response is required.

Schedule 1 Major disaster

 

  The flooding that occurred during February and March 2012 which affected the New South Wales Local Government Areas of Central Darling, Coolamon, Forbes, Griffith, Gundagai, Leeton, Lockhart, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Urana, Wagga Wagga, Young and the Township of Ungarie is a major disaster.

 

Schedule 2 Circumstances in which person adversely affected

 

  A person is adversely affected by a major disaster mentioned in Schedule 1 if:

 (a) as a direct result of the disaster:

 (i) the person is seriously injured; or

 (ii) the person is an immediate family member of an Australian who is killed; or

 (iii) the person’s principal place of residence has been destroyed or has sustained major damage; or

 (iv) the person is unable to gain access to his or her principal place of residence for at least 24 hours because:

 (A) access to the place of residence is cut off; or

 (B) the person is unable to leave a place affected by the disaster;

 (v) the person is stranded in his or her principal place of residence for at least 24 hours, or

 (b) as a result of the disaster, the person’s principal place of residence was without a particular utility service for a continuous period of 48 hours; or

 (c) the person is the principal carer of a child to whom paragraph (a) or (b) applies.

Notes to the Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4)

Note 1

The Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4) (in force under subsection 106lL (2) of the Social Security Act 1991) as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Title

Date of FRLI registration

Date of
commencement

Application, saving or
transitional provisions

Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4)

23 Mar 2012 (see F2012L00676)

24 Mar 2012

 

Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 3)

4 May 2012 (see F2012L00988)

5 May 2012

Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 4)

23 Aug 2012 (see F2012L01752)

24 Aug 2012

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed      rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

Schedule 1

 

Schedule 1............

am. 2012 Nos. 3 and 4

 

 

Overview

The Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4) was enacted to address the specific needs of individuals adversely affected by the major disaster of flooding in New South Wales during February and March 2012. This legislative instrument was made under subsection 106lL(2) of the Social Security Act 1991 by the relevant authority, likely the Minister for Social Services, to provide financial support to those who were seriously injured, lost an immediate family member, experienced significant damage to their principal residence, or faced other severe disruptions due to the disaster. The primary policy objective was to ensure timely and adequate support for those directly impacted by the disaster, facilitating their recovery and enabling them to restore their living conditions. The determination specifies that a person is considered adversely affected by the major disaster if they meet certain criteria, such as being seriously injured, having a principal place of residence destroyed or severely damaged, or being unable to access their residence for at least 24 hours. This legislative instrument aims to provide a structured and clear framework for identifying those in need of assistance and ensuring they receive the necessary support to navigate the challenges posed by the disaster. The determination was amended to reflect changes in the circumstances or to correct any errors, with amendments coming into effect on the dates specified in the legislative instrument.

Scope and Application

The Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4) provides for the payment of a disaster recovery payment under the Social Security Act 1991 to individuals adversely affected by a major disaster. This determination applies to individuals who have suffered a serious injury, are an immediate family member of an Australian killed in the disaster, have had their principal residence destroyed or damaged, are unable to access their residence for 24 hours, are stranded in their residence for 24 hours, or are the principal carer of a child who is adversely affected. The determination applies to the major disaster of flooding that occurred in New South Wales Local Government Areas during February and March 2012. The determination also includes a definition of terms used in the Act and applies to both Commonwealth and State jurisdictions. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds in this determination. The application of the Act may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2012 (No. 4) outlines the conditions under which individuals affected by a major disaster may be eligible for financial assistance. According to section 4 of the Determination, a person is considered adversely affected by a major disaster if they meet specific criteria detailed in Schedule 2. This includes being seriously injured or being an immediate family member of someone killed as a direct result of the disaster (section 4(a)(i) and (ii)). Additionally, if their principal place of residence has been destroyed or sustained major damage, or if they are unable to access their residence for at least 24 hours due to the disaster (section 4(a)(iii) and (iv)), they may qualify. The Determination also covers situations where the residence lacks a utility service for 48 hours (section 4(b)) and if the individual is the principal carer for a child affected by the disaster (section 4(c)). The Act imposes several obligations on the parties involved. For instance, the Commonwealth Minister for Social Services must determine in writing that an event qualifies as a major disaster (subsection 1061L(2) of the Social Security Act 1991). Once an event is declared a major disaster, the Determination provides specific criteria that individuals must meet to be considered adversely affected, thereby qualifying for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment. The onus is on the affected individual to provide evidence that they meet these criteria to receive the payment. Violation of the terms set out in the Determination can result in civil or criminal penalties. While the Determination does not explicitly detail specific penalties for non-compliance, general penalties under the Social Security Act 1991 may apply. These can include fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment. The exact penalties would depend on the nature of the breach and the specific provisions of the Social Security Act 1991 that are contravened.

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