Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill

This part, Part 4, has got consequential provisions that take effect when this part of the bill, the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill, comes in on 15 October. It is for those who are predominantly having those changes with the DPB, the women alone benefit, and the widows benefit. It is a relatively small part of the bill—we have seen the two major substantial parts—however, of course it is important, otherwise we would not be doing it.

These provisions replace the references to employment plan expectations and sanctions, which is what we have had. We are moving more to work preparation expectations and a difference in sanctions, so it is as much about language as it is anything else. It means the regulation-making power in the Act allows for the development of regulations setting out exemptions. At the moment, we want them to be able to go through the regulations instead of through the legislation all the time. That makes sense, and it makes it easier for people, and means that we can have those kinds of exemptions, when they are needed, for people in exceptional circumstances.

If there is anything that we recognise, it is that, actually, whenever you are making changes it is not about necessarily a big group of people; it is about a number of individuals who have different circumstances, and wherever possible we need to take them into consideration. It is quite straightforward, and ensures that on the date the bill comes into force all employment plans, reviews of employment plans, requirements set out in employment plans, notices, issues related to the employment plans, and any sanctions related to the employment plans cease to have any effect, so that the new ones come in on that date. That is this part.