Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 1) Bill 2018

Summary

Amends the: Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to: provide additional support, including childcare arrangements, brief intervention counselling, and additional household services and attendant care, to families and members and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) who have rendered warlike service, post 1 July 2004; and enable the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission to specify conditions and compensation for household and attendant care services for ADF members who have sustained a catastrophic injury or disease; Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to create a Veteran Payment to provide certain veterans with early access to financial support prior to a claim for a mental health condition being determined; enable the automation of a qualifying service determination; update references to the Specialist Medical Review Council; and make technical amendments; Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to create a Coordinated Veterans’ Care mental health pilot to provide mental health support for veterans in rural and regional areas; Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 to make technical amendments in relation to defence-related claims; and Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006 to extend the gold card eligibility for those members of the ADF who served in Japan prior to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Also makes consequential amendments to 16 Acts and contingent amendments to three Acts.

Progress

House of Representatives
Introduced and read a first time	15 Feb 2018
Second reading moved	15 Feb 2018
Second reading debate	27 Feb 2018
Referred to Federation Chamber	27 Feb 2018
Second reading debate	28 Feb 2018
Second reading agreed to	28 Feb 2018
Reported from Federation Chamber	28 Feb 2018
Third reading agreed to	28 Feb 2018

Senate
Introduced and read a first time	19 Mar 2018
Second reading moved	19 Mar 2018
Second reading debate	22 Mar 2018
Second reading agreed to	22 Mar 2018
Third reading agreed to	22 Mar 2018


Finally passed both Houses	22 Mar 2018
Assent Act no: 17 Year: 2018	28 Mar 2018

Documents and transcripts

Text of bill

First reading

As passed by both Houses

Explanatory memoranda

Explanatory memorandum

Transcript of speeches

Proposed amendments

No proposed amendments have been circulated.

Schedules of amendments

No documents at present

Bills digest

Bills Digest

Notes

Considered by scrutiny committee (21/03/2018): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 3 of 2018
An electronic version of this Act is available on the Federal Register of Legislation (www.legislation.gov.au)

Helpful information

Text of bill

First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament
Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This version of the bill is then considered by the second house.
As passed by both houses: Final text of bill agreed to by both the House of Representatives and the Senate which is presented to the Governor-General for assent.

Explanatory memoranda

Explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and provides an explanation of the content of the introduced version (first reading) of the bill.
Supplementary explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains amendments proposed by the government to the bill.
Revised explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains the amended version (third reading) of the bill. It supersedes the explanatory memorandum.

Proposed amendments

Circulated by members and senators when they propose to make changes to the bill. For details about the outcome of proposed amendments please refer to either the Votes and Proceedings (House of Representatives) or the Journals (Senate).

Schedules of amendments

Schedules of amendments list amendments agreed to by the second house are communicated to the first house for consideration. Subsequent action by either house may also be included in a schedule.