CrossbenchAU
← Back to bills
❌This bill did not pass parliament7 Oct 2022

The bill was rejected or lapsed before becoming law.

πŸ› House of Representatives3 readingsAmendments circulated

Defence, Veterans—€™ and Families—€™ Acute Support Package 2022

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Defence, Veterans' and Families' Acute Support Package 2022 ## What it does The government is expanding support for current and former military members, their families, and dependents facing difficult times. Instead of limiting help to specific situations, the law now lets the Veterans' Affairs Commission create flexible "acute support packages"β€”bundles of assistance tailored to people dealing with sudden hardship or life crises. ## Why it matters Veterans and their families often face unique challenges after military service (mental health struggles, relationship breakdown, financial crisis). This law gives officials the tools to respond quickly with customized help rather than being locked into one-size-fits-all rules. It also covers related family members, not just the veterans themselves. ## Key details - **Who can get it**: Current military members, ex-service people, their spouses/partners, and dependents of deceased service members - **How it works**: The Veterans' Affairs Commission decides what assistance goes into each package (could be counseling, financial help, housing support, etc.) and sets eligibility rules through formal guidelines - **When it starts**: The law kicks in one week after the Governor-General signs it (Royal Assent)

Official Description

Amends the: Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 , Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 and Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 to: extend eligibility to veterans and their family members who are at risk of or in crisis, whether or not the veteran is participating in a rehabilitation program or has rendered warlike service; and expand the range of supports available to family members under the current family support package; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide that acute support packages for veterans and their families are exempt from income tax; and Social Security Act 1991 to provide that acute support packages for veterans and their families are not income for the purposes of the social security income test.

Committee Referrals

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

Full bill PDF β†’APH page β†’

Audit History

Introduced

3 Aug 2022

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

7 Oct 2022

Last checked by Crossbench

yesterday

Full text indexed

yesterday

πŸ—³οΈ

No formal division recorded

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

Constituent votes

Voting is closed β€” this bill has been decided by parliament.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.

πŸ”’ Voting closed β€” this bill has been decided by parliament