Human Services Portfolio http://www.humanservices.gov.au/budget/1011/ Human Services Portfolio Budget RSS Feed en-us Tue, 11 May 2010 20:00:00 +1000 Tue, 11 May 2010 20:00:00 +1000 Bulk Verification of Community Housing Rent ../budget/measures/bulk-verification-rent.php This measure will improve access to Rent Assistance and reduce stress and paperwork for Centrelink customers living in community housing. Wed, 12 May 2010 01:27:00 +1000 Special Disability Trusts – greater accessibility ../budget/measures/special-disability-trusts-greater-accessibility.php This Budget measure will see changes to the Special Disability Trust initiative. Wed, 12 May 2010 01:25:00 +1000 Stronger, fairer, simpler tax reform – 50 per cent discount for interest income ../budget/measures/tax-reform-50-pc-discount.php Changes to tax deductions will mean that some people may become eligible for Family Assistance or the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card because their taxable incomes will be lower. Wed, 12 May 2010 01:24:00 +1000 Stronger, fairer, simpler tax reform – standard deduction for work-related expenses and the cost of managing tax affairs ../budget/measures/tax-reform-standard-deduction.php From 1 July 2012, changes to tax deductions may lower some people’s taxable incomes, making them eligible for Centrelink payments such as Family Assistance, Youth Allowance and the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Wed, 12 May 2010 01:21:00 +1000 School Enrolment and Attendance Trial — continuation ../budget/measures/school-enrolment-and-attendance-trial.php This measure continues funding for the School Enrolment and Attendance measure in existing pilot locations in the Northern Territory and Queensland until 30 June 2011. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:53:00 +1000 An Innovation and Higher Education System for the 21st Century — Student income support — additional funding for service delivery ../budget/measures/student-income-support.php The Government has provided a range of measures to support young people who are studying to improve their future job prospects. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:51:00 +1000 Drought policy reform — pilot of new measures in Western Australia ../budget/measures/drought-policy-reform.php This is a 12 month pilot to provide access to drought reform measures through Centrelink for farmers in 67 local government areas in Western Australia. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:47:00 +1000 Drought assistance ../budget/measures/drought-assistance.php This Budget initiative extends current measures. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:46:00 +1000 Job Capacity Assessment — more efficient and accurate assessments for Disability Support Pension and employment services ../budget/measures/disability-support-pension.php This measure streamlines and simplifies Job Capacity Assessments for those with a disability, illness or injury. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:44:00 +1000 Reform of Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program in the Torres Strait ../budget/measures/reform-of-CDEP-program.php This measure aligns the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program in the Torres Strait with the mainland program which changed on 1 July 2009. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:41:00 +1000 Income management in cases of child neglect and by voluntary choice — continuation of trial ../budget/measures/income-management.php The Child Protection and Voluntary Income Management measures, currently operating in metropolitan Perth and the Kimberley region in Western Australia, will be continued for a further 12 months. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:38:00 +1000 Private health insurance — supporting lifetime health cover ../budget/measures/private-health-insurance.php This measure continues the Lifetime Health Cover annual mailout to Medicare Card holders. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:36:00 +1000 Medicare Australia — continuation of funding for Medicare Australia Access Points ../budget/measures/medicare-australia-access-points.php This measure continues the operation of 800 Medicare Australia Access Points for 2010-11. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:28:00 +1000 Paid Parental Leave — implementation ../budget/measures/paid-parental-leave.php This measure provides for a review, appeal and regulation process for employers involved in the proposed Paid Parental Leave scheme. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:26:00 +1000 Child Care Rebate — return the annual cap of $7,500 and pause indexation ../budget/measures/child-care-rebate.php This measure reduces the maximum rate of Centrelink’s Child Care Rebate from $7,778 to $7,500 per child per financial year, starting from 1 July 2010. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:21:00 +1000 Streamlining notification processes for compensation recipients ../budget/measures/streamlining-notification-processes.php This measure will streamline the notification process for compensation payments to Centrelink customers, to help ensure they receive the right entitlement. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:15:00 +1000 Fraud prevention and compliance — Centrelink debts — review of non‑standard debt repayment rates ../budget/measures/fraud-centrelink-debts-rates.php Most Centrelink customers with a debt repay it by having a portion of their regular payments withheld. The standard withholding rate is 15 per cent, however this repayment rate can be reduced if customers are experiencing severe financial hardship. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:14:00 +1000 Fraud prevention and compliance — enhanced capability for Centrelink to detect and respond to emerging fraud risks ../budget/measures/fraud-enhance-capability.php This measure will give Centrelink the ongoing capability to use information from intelligence and law enforcement agencies to investigate those suspected of deliberately engaging in welfare fraud, particularly organised crime. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:11:00 +1000 Fraud prevention and compliance — Centrelink debts — improvements to the tax garnishee process ../budget/measures/fraud-centrelink-debts.php This measure will improve the process for recovering outstanding debts from the tax refunds of former Centrelink or Family Assistance Office customers. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:08:00 +1000 Portfolio Budget Statements 2010-11 ../budget/statements.php Information about the Human Services Portfolio Budget. Tue, 11 May 2010 20:00:00 +1000 Government acts to curb welfare fraud linked to organised crime ../budget/media/100511-govt-acts-to-curb-welfare.php The Minister for Human Services, Chris Bowen MP, today announced the Rudd Government will enhance the use of intelligence provided by law enforcement agencies to better protect social welfare payments from fraud associated with organised crime. Tue, 11 May 2010 19:45:00 +1000