Source: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019C00547
Timestamp: 2019-10-22 18:36:49
Document Index: 253556344

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 3', 'ART 3', 'ART 4', 'ART 5', 'ART 6', 'ART 7', 'ART 8', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 6', 'ART 7', 'art 2']

Details: F2019C00547
- F2019C00547
Schemes as amended, taking into account amendments up to Veterans' Children Education Scheme (Long Tan Bursary) Amendment Instrument 2018
Veterans' Children Education Scheme (Long Tan Bursary) Amendment Instrument 2018 - F2019L00190
F2019C00547
Instrument 2015 No. R43
made under section 117(3) of the
Includes amendments up to: F2019L00190
This is a compilation of the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 1 July 2019 (the compilation date).
1............................ Name of instrument....................................................................................... 1
3............................ Saving and Transitional Provisions............................................................... 1
4............................ Application.................................................................................................... 2
1.2......................... Interpretation................................................................................................. 3
1.2.2...................... Clean Energy Payment Definitions............................................................... 6
1.3......................... Authority for the Scheme.............................................................................. 9
1.4......................... Purpose of the Scheme.................................................................................. 9
1.5......................... Administration of the Scheme....................................................................... 9
PART 2—Eligibility Conditions 11
2.1......................... Eligible child............................................................................................... 11
2.1A...................... Eligible child Entitlement Restrictions......................................................... 11
2.2......................... Claim for benefits........................................................................................ 11
2.3......................... Who may claim........................................................................................... 11
2.4......................... Commencement of assistance under the Scheme......................................... 12
2.5......................... Cessation of assistance under the Scheme................................................... 12
2.6......................... Place of Study............................................................................................. 13
2.7......................... Course coverage.......................................................................................... 13
2.10....................... Absences from study for primary and secondary students.......................... 14
2.11....................... Effect of other assistance on eligibility........................................................ 14
2.12....................... Allowances mutually exclusive................................................................... 15
PART 3—Education Allowances 16
3.1......................... Purpose of education allowances................................................................ 16
3.2......................... Allowances for Primary education.............................................................. 16
3.3......................... Allowances for Secondary and Tertiary students living at home................. 16
3.4......................... Living away from home allowance for secondary students......................... 16
3.5......................... Living away from home allowance for Tertiary students............................ 17
3.6......................... Homeless student education allowance....................................................... 18
3.6A...................... Double orphan education allowance............................................................ 18
3.7......................... Part‑time students........................................................................................ 18
3.8......................... Amount of education allowances & Indexing............................................. 18
PART 3A—Clean Energy Payments 20
Division 1—Clean energy advance 20
Eligibility for days 14 May 2012 to 30 June 2012..................................................................... 20
Eligibility for days 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013........................................................................ 20
Eligibility for days 1 July 2013 to 31 December 2013............................................................... 20
First day of eligibility under paragraph 3A.1.2 or 3A.1.3.......................................................... 20
Limits on eligibility for multiple advances.................................................................................. 20
Amount of a clean energy advance............................................................................................. 21
Clean energy advance daily rate.................................................................................................. 21
Number of advance days............................................................................................................ 21
Top‑up payments of clean energy advance................................................................................. 21
Method of working out the top‑up payment for a person........................................................... 22
Top‑up payment for first change of circumstances..................................................................... 23
Top‑up payment for subsequent change of circumstances.......................................................... 23
Payment of clean energy advance............................................................................................... 24
Debts relating to clean energy advances..................................................................................... 24
Creation and amount of debt....................................................................................................... 25
Relationship with sections of Act............................................................................................... 25
Multiple entitlement exclusion ‑ Clean Energy advance.............................................................. 25
Division 2—Energy supplement and quarterly Energy supplement 26
Energy supplement 26
Energy supplement payable........................................................................................................ 26
Rate of energy supplement......................................................................................................... 26
Multiple entitlement exclusion ‑ Energy Supplement.................................................................. 26
Quarterly payment of energy supplement................................................................................... 27
Rate of quarterly energy supplement.......................................................................................... 27
Payment of quarterly energy supplement.................................................................................... 27
Division 3—Adjustments relating to clean energy underlying payments 29
Special rules for indexation of clean energy underlying payments on or after 1 January 2014... 29
PART 3B—Income Support Bonus 30
PART 4—Guidance, Counselling and Country Visits 32
PART 5—Other Assistance 33
5.1......................... Fares allowance........................................................................................... 33
5.2......................... Additional Tuition....................................................................................... 33
5.3......................... Special Assistance....................................................................................... 33
5.4......................... Rates for Additional Tuition and Special Assistance................................... 34
5.5......................... Rent assistance............................................................................................ 34
PART 6—Veterans’ Children Education Boards 35
6.1......................... Establishment.............................................................................................. 35
6.2......................... Membership................................................................................................ 35
6.3......................... Appointment............................................................................................... 35
6.4......................... Termination of appointment........................................................................ 36
6.5......................... Functions of Boards.................................................................................... 36
6.6......................... Exercise of functions by a sub‑committee................................................... 36
6.7......................... Chairperson................................................................................................. 37
6.8......................... Meetings..................................................................................................... 37
6.9......................... Annual Report............................................................................................. 37
PART 7—Bequests and Trusts 38
7.1......................... Determination of use of funds..................................................................... 38
7.2......................... Scholarships................................................................................................ 38
7.3......................... Long Tan Bursary....................................................................................... 38
7.4......................... Student Start‑up Scholarship Payment........................................................ 39
7.5......................... Relocation Scholarship Payment................................................................. 40
PART 8—Determination of Assistance 44
8.1......................... Determinations............................................................................................ 44
8.2......................... Review of decisions.................................................................................... 44
Endnote 5—Miscellaneous 49
Item 1‑ Any provision in this Instrument not elsewhere covered by this table.
Item 2‑ Paragraphs 2.6.2 and 2.6.3
The date of effect in respect of the eligibility of a person in paragraph 3(a) for an education allowance or other benefit under this instrument, being the type of allowance or benefit the person was eligible for under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme (Instrument 1992 No. 11) (former instrument) immediately before its revocation by this instrument, is, in relation to that allowance or benefit as provided under this instrument, the date of effect under the former instrument.
(b) a person approved by the Commission if none of the persons in sub‑paragraph (a) who acted on behalf of the student is alive, willing, able, and suitable to act on the student’s behalf.
“approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course” means
“Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship” means a scholarship of that name provided for under the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines made for the purposes of Part 2‑4 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (in force from time to time).
“Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship” means a scholarship of that name provided for under the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines made for the purposes of Part 2‑4 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (in force from time to time).
For the purposes of this definition “parent” includes an adoptive parent or step‑parent, “member” means a member of the Forces or a member of a Peacekeeping Force and “veteran” means a veteran described in the definition of “eligible child of a veteran” in section 116 of the Act.
“full‑time”, in relation to a student undertaking either:
(a) an approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course; or
(b) a course of tertiary study other than an approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course;
Subject to 2.7.2, a student is in full‑time study in respect of a period if, had the Commission been the Secretary under Subdivision B of Division 1 of Part 2.11 of Chapter 2 of the Social Security Act 1991, the Commission is satisfied that throughout the period the student is undertaking full‑time study such that the student satisfies the activity test that would qualify the student for the Youth Allowance.
Note (1): paragraph 2.7.2 enables the Commission to deem part‑time study to be full‑time study in certain circumstances.
Note (2): paragraph 2.7.1(c) covers courses other than an approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course.
“student start‑up scholarship payment” means the payment of that name in paragraph 7.4.
“sub‑committee” means a Board sub‑committee.
· paragraph 3.6A (allowance for double‑orphan)
top‑up payment means the payment of that name calculated under PART 3A.
1.4.2 This purpose of the Scheme is achieved by co‑operation between the Commission, the eligible beneficiaries and their parents, guardians or trustees.
2.1A.1 A person who is an Eligible child by virtue of a determination by the Commission under subsection 116C(2) of the Act that the person is within a class of persons determined by the Commission under section 116A of the Act, being a class of persons described in item 2 of the Schedule to the Veterans’ Entitlements (Veterans’ Children Education Scheme) Eligible Persons Determination 2017 (2017 No. R2) (hereafter described as the Long Tan Class of Person) may be awarded a Long Tan Bursary but is not entitled to any other benefit under the Scheme if the person is an Eligible child only by virtue of being determined by the Commission to be an Eligible child because the person is within the Long Tan Class of Person.
Note: a claim is not required for the student start‑up scholarship payment or the relocation scholarship payment in paragraphs 7.4 and 7.5.
(b) the course of study outside Australia is part of a full‑time course the student has undertaken in Australia; and
2.7.1 A student may receive benefits under the Scheme if the student is undertaking on a full‑time basis:
(b) an approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course; or
Note: paragraph 2.7.2 permits the payment of benefits to students for part‑time study in special circumstances.
2.7.2 Benefits may be provided to a student for part‑time study and such a student shall be deemed for the purposes of the Scheme to be undertaking full‑time study, where:
(a) the Commission is satisfied that the amount of study that the student must complete in order to finish a course constitutes less than one year full‑time study; or
(b) through geographical isolation, the student is unable to take advantage of full‑time study facilities; or
(c) for health, economic or academic reasons, the student has shown ability to undertake full‑time studies but needs to study part‑time temporarily.
(b) is provided under a disqualifying accommodation scholarship ‑ except where the benefit under the Scheme is a relocation scholarship payment; or
(c) is provided under a disqualifying education costs scholarship ‑ except where the benefit under the Scheme is a student start‑up scholarship payment.
3.2.3 Payment of the allowance will be made to the person who is entitled to be paid family tax benefit under A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 (entitled person) and if there is no entitled person ‑ to a person approved by the Commission to receive the payment on the student’s behalf
3.3.2 Payment under paragraph 3.3.1 for secondary students under the age of sixteen will be made to the person who is entitled to be paid family tax benefit under A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 (entitled person) and if there is no entitled person ‑ to a person approved by the Commission to receive the payment on the student’s behalf.
3.3.3 Payment under paragraph 3.3.1 for secondary students aged sixteen years and over will be made to the person who is entitled to be paid family tax benefit under A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 (entitled person), who will then have the option of directing payment to the student or spouse and if there is no entitled person ‑ to a person approved by the Commission to receive the payment on the student’s behalf.
Note: the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme is a non‑statutory scheme administered by that Department of the responsible Departments that administers the Student Assistance Act 1973.
(c) if the payment methods in paragraphs (a) and (b) are inappropriate or non‑existent – a person approved by the Commission to receive the payment on behalf of the student.
3.4.3 Payment under sub‑paragraph 3.4.2 may be made either in part or in full, and:
3.4.4 A person in receipt of education allowance under sub‑paragraph 3.4.2(a) may direct payment of the allowance to the student or to a parent, guardian or trustee of the student.
3.4.5 If only part of the payment is made to the institution or person providing board, the other part shall be paid to the person described at sub‑paragraph 3.4.2(a) or, if relevant, to the person to whom they have directed payment and if there is no person for the purposes of subparagraph 3.4.2(a), the part‑payment shall be paid to a person approved by the Commission to receive the payment on the student’s behalf.
3.5.1 Living away from home rates of education allowance may be paid to a tertiary student undertaking an approved full‑time tertiary or technical and further education course, where the Commission is satisfied that additional expenses are incurred as a result of the student living away from home; and
3.6.2 If a student has been granted homeless student status under paragraph 3.6.1, education allowance is to be paid at a rate equivalent to the maximum basic rate payable under point 1067G‑B3 of the Social Security Act 1991 in respect of a person who is independent.
3.7 Part‑time students
3.7.1 Where a student, referred to in paragraph 2.7.2, has been approved for benefits while undertaking part‑time study, that student shall receive the appropriate full‑time rate of education allowances.
3.8.2 The allowances specified in paragraph 3.8.1 are to be indexed annually in accordance with the procedure set out in section 1191(1)(table item 3A) of the Social Security Act 1991 for the indexation of benefits under that Act except that the reference to ‘YA MBR’ in item 3A of the CPI Indexation Table in subsection 1191(1) is, for the purpose of the indexation of the relevant allowances under the Scheme, taken to be a reference to the relevant allowance specified in sub‑paragraph 3.8.1(a), (b) or (c).
Note: Top‑up payments of clean energy advance may be payable under paragraph 3A.5.1 if the person’s circumstances change during the person’s clean energy advance period.
the person is eligible for a top‑up payment calculated in accordance with paragraphs 3A.5.4 – 3A.5.7.
3A.5.3 Despite any other provision of the VCES if a person received an original payment under 3A.1.3 of the VCES and as a result of a change in circumstances the person starts to receive one of the payments listed in subsection 914(4) of the Social Security Act 1991, war widow(er) pension or service pension under the VEA or a MRCA wholly dependent partner payment, in relation to the change day, the person will not be eligible for a top‑up payment.
Method of working out the top‑up payment for a person
3A.5.4 If the person has not previously been eligible for a top‑up payment in relation to the clean energy advance period, the amount of top‑up payment is to be calculated in accordance with the Method Statement 1 at the end of paragraph 3A.5.5.
Top‑up payment for first change of circumstances
Top‑up payment for subsequent change of circumstances
3A.5.6 If a person has previously been paid a top‑up payment calculated in accordance with paragraph 3A.5.4 and the person has a further change in circumstances any additional top‑up payment is to be calculated in accordance with paragraph 3A.5.7.
Multiple entitlement exclusion ‑ Clean Energy advance
Division 2—Energy supplement and quarterly Energy supplement
Multiple entitlement exclusion ‑ Energy Supplement
Division 3—Adjustments relating to clean energy underlying payments
3A.19.2 In applying section 1206GG of the SSA, sections 1191‑1194 of the SSA are also to be applied as if the amount YA MBR in item 3A of the CPI Indexation Table in section 1191 is a clean energy underlying payment.
Note 1 – rent assistance criteria under the Social Security Act 1991 are set out in point 1067G‑D1 of that Act.
PART 6—Veterans’ Children Education Boards
6.6 Exercise of functions by a sub‑committee
6.6.1 A sub‑committee of a Board may consist of one or more members and may exercise such functions as the Board determines.
PART 7—Bequests and Trusts
7.3.3 In deciding whether or not to award a Long Tan Bursary to an Eligible child or eligible grandchild of a Vietnam veteran the Commission must take into account the matters in the document approved by the Commission in September 2006 and known as the "Long Tan Bursary Operational Guidelines”.
7.3.4 An Eligible child or eligible grandchild of a Vietnam veteran who is awarded a Long Tan Bursary is not entitled to another Long Tan Bursary.
7.4 Student Start‑up Scholarship Payment
7.4.1 A claim is not required for a student start‑up scholarship payment.
7.4.2 The Commission may grant a student start‑up scholarship payment to an Eligible child who is qualified for one.
Circumstances in which Person is Qualified for Student Start‑up Scholarship Payment
7.4.3 An Eligible child is qualified for a student start‑up scholarship payment if at a time (the qualification time):
Circumstances in which Person is Not Qualified for Student Start‑up Scholarship Payment
7.4.4 A person is not qualified for a student start‑up scholarship payment if one or more of the following circumstances apply to the person in the period of 6 months (or shorter period determined by the Commission) ending immediately before the person’s qualification time:
(a) the person has qualified for a student start‑up scholarship payment under the Scheme; or
(b) the person has qualified for a payment under the ABSTUDY Scheme known as an “ABSTUDY student start‑up scholarship payment”; or
(c) the person has qualified for a payment known as a “student start‑up scholarship payment” under Part 2.11B of the Social Security Act 1991 (in force from time to time); or
(d) the person has qualified for a payment known as a “student start‑up scholarship payment” under the scheme made under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 known as the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (in force from time to time); or
7.4.5 For 7.4.4, the Commission may determine a period in relation to a person that is at least 2 months but less than 6 months if the Commission considers that the determination would enable the person to qualify for a student start‑up scholarship payment on or near the day on which the approved scholarship course concerned started or starts.
7.4.6 For 7.4.5, the Commission must not make a determination if the effect of the determination would be to enable the person to receive more than 2 student start‑up scholarship payments in a Calendar year.
Amount of student start‑up scholarship payment
7.4.7 The amount of a student start‑up scholarship payment for which a person is qualified on or after 1 January 2012 is $1,025 or the amount equal to the amount, including as indexed, under section 1061ZVBD of the Social Security Act 1991 (in force from time to time), whichever is higher.
However, this subparagraph does not apply if, in the Commission’s opinion, the person does not start to undertake full‑time study in an approved scholarship course because of exceptional circumstances beyond the person’s control.
(4) Subparagraphs (2) and (3) do not apply if, in the Commission’s opinion, the person is not undertaking full‑time study in an approved scholarship course because of exceptional circumstances beyond the person’s control.
(2015 No. R43)
17 Aug 2015 (F2015L01280)
par 2.6.2 and 2.6.3: 1 Jan 2014 (s 2 item 2)
Remainder: 18 Aug 2015 (s 2 item 1)
Sch 1 (Pt 1 items 1–7): 1 Jan 2017 (s 2(1) item 2)
Sch 2 (Pt 1 item 1): 1 July 2017 (s 2(1) item 3)
Veterans’ Children Education Scheme Amendment Instrument 2017
(2017 No. R4)
21 Mar 2017 (F2017L00273)
22 Mar 2017 (s 2)
(2018 No. R92)
25 Feb 2019 (F2019L00190)
am F2016L02006; F2019L00190
s 2.1A..................................
am F2017L00273
am F2017L00273; F2019L00190
s 7.4.....................................
s 7.5.....................................
Section 2 ‑ Commencement
Section 2 of the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme is a solely commencing provision. Under section 48D of the Legislation Act 2003, solely commencing provisions are automatically repealed once all commencements have occurred. However, section 3 of the Scheme refers to and relies on information in section 2 therefore section 2, although automatically repealed, has not been removed from the compilation.