Veterans' Entitlements Amendment (Gold Card Extension) Bill 2002
First Reading

2002

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Presented and read a first time

Veterans' Entitlements Amendment (Gold Card Extension) Bill 2002

No. , 2002

(Veterans' Affairs)

A Bill for an Act to amend the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, and for related purposes

Contents

1       Short title 1

2       Commencement 1

3       Schedule(s) 1

Schedule 1--Amendment of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986       3

A Bill for an Act to amend the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1 Short title

        This Act may be cited as the Veterans' Entitlements Amendment (Gold Card Extension) Act 2002.

2 Commencement

        This Act commences on 1 July 2002.

3 Schedule(s)

        Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1--Amendment of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986

1 After subsection 85(4A)

Insert:

       (4B) A veteran is eligible to be provided with treatment under this Part for any injury suffered, or disease contracted, by the veteran, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, if:

       (a) the veteran is 70 or over; and

       (b) the veteran has rendered qualifying service within the meaning of subparagraph 7A(1)(a)(ii), (iii) or (iv) or paragraph 7A(1)(b), (c) or (f); and

       (c) either:

       (i) the Department has notified the veteran in writing that he or she is or will be eligible for such treatment; or

       (ii) the veteran has notified the Department in writing that he or she seeks eligibility for such treatment.

2 Transitional--pre-commencement notification

The notification mentioned in subparagraph 85(4B)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (as amended by this Schedule) may have been given before this Schedule commences.

Note:       This would allow the veteran to become eligible for treatment at the time subsection 85(4B) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 commences (assuming that the veteran satisfies the other criteria in that subsection at that time).