Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00162:section:729:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00162
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 729 (pt 1/5)
Character Range: 1007726–1010793

729  Qualification for special benefit
 (1) A person is qualified for a special benefit for a period if the Secretary determines, in accordance with subsection (2), that a special benefit should be granted to the person for the period.
Note: Special benefit is a discretionary benefit and is available only to a person who is not able to get any other income support payment (see paragraphs (2)(a) and (b) below).
 (2) The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, determine that a special benefit should be granted to a person for a period if:
 (a) no social security pension is payable to the person during the period; and
 (b) no other social security benefit is payable to the person for the period; and
 (bb) the person is not disqualified for a benefit PP (partnered) for the period solely because of the operation of section 500C (unemployment due to industrial action); and
 (bc) the person is not disqualified from parenting payment for the period solely because of a failure to meet the requirement of paragraph 500(1)(c) or (1)(ca) (participation requirements); and
 (bd) if the person is qualified for parenting payment but the payment is not payable because of the operation of any of the following provisions of the Administration Act:
 (i) subsection 42AL(1) (payment suspension periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (ii) subsection 42AO(1) (unemployment preclusion periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (iii) subsection 42AP(5) (post‑cancellation non‑payment periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (iv) subsection 42P(1) (serious failures—declared program participants);
 (v) subsection 42S(1) (unemployment non‑payment periods—declared program participants); and
 (c) the person is not disqualified for a jobseeker payment for the period because of the operation of section 596; and
 (d) if the person is qualified for a jobseeker payment but the payment is not payable to the person for the period—that result is not produced because of the operation of one or more of the following:
 (i) subsection 42AL(1) of the Administration Act (payment suspension periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (ii) subsection 42AO(1) of that Act (unemployment preclusion periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (iia) subsection 42AP(5) of that Act (post‑cancellation non‑payment periods—persons other than declared program participants);
 (iib) subsection 42P(1) of that Act (serious failures—declared program participants);
 (iic) subsection 42S(1) of that Act (unemployment non‑payment periods—declared program participants);
 (iii) section 631 of this Act (person failing to comply with notification requirement);
 (iv) section 633 of this Act (seasonal workers);
 (v) section 634 of this Act (move to area of lower employment prospects); and
 (da) the person is not disqualified for a youth allowance for the period because the person fails to satisfy the employment pathway plan requirements; and
 (db) the person is not disqualified for an austudy payment