✦ Plain-English Summary

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Overseas Welfare Recipients Integrity Program) Bill 2019

What it does

The government can now require Australians aged 80+ who are receiving certain welfare payments (age pension, disability support pension, carer payment, or widow/wife pensions) and have been living overseas for 2+ years continuously to prove they're still alive by submitting a "proof of life certificate." They have 13 weeks to provide it after being notified.

Why it matters

This is designed to stop welfare payments going to people who may have died but whose deaths weren't reported to Centrelink. It's a cost-control measure that affects a specific group—older Australians living permanently abroad—to reduce fraud and overpayments.

Key details

• Who's affected: People 80+ years old receiving listed welfare payments who've been continuously absent from Australia for 2 full years
• Timeline: The proof of life requirement kicks in from 1 September 2019; the widow B and wife pension phase-out happens from 20 March 2020
• Consequence of non-compliance: The bill gives the Secretary power to require the certificate, but the excerpt doesn't detail what happens if you don't provide it (though presumably payments would be suspended or cancelled)

Official Description

Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to require certain welfare recipients aged 80 years and over, who have been absent from Australia for at least two years, to provide a proof of life certificate at least once every two years in accordance with a notice sent by the Secretary; and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to repeal certain provisions as a consequence of the cessation of Widow B Pension and Wife Pension from 20 March 2020.

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.