Social Security Exempt Lump Sum
Determination No. 1 of 2001

I, Gwenda Prince, Assistant Secretary, Seniors and Means Test Branch and a delegate of the Secretary to the Department of Family and Community Services, make this determination under paragraph 8(11)(d) of the Social Security Act 1991.

Dated 17 May 2001.

Gwenda Prince

Assistant Secretary, Seniors and Means Test Branch

Part 1 Preliminary

1.1 Name of determination

This determination is the Social Security Exempt Lump Sum Determination No. 1 of 2001.

1.2 Commencement

This determination commences on the date it is signed.

1.3 Definition

In this determination:

Act means the Social Security Act 1991.

age pensioner means a person in receipt of a age pension under Part 2.2 of the Social Security Act 1991.

Centrelink means the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency established under the Commonwwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997.

focus group means the persons who are age pensioners or unemployed persons consulted about Centrelink processing requirements and arrangements.

Rules Simplification Taskforce is the Taskforce established to review Centrelink’s processing requirements and arrangements.

unemployed person means a person in receipt of:

(i) a youth allowance under Part 2.11 of the Social Security Act 1991; or

(ii) a newstart allowance under Part 2.12 of the Social Security Act 1991.

Part 2 Exempt Lump Sums

2.1 Amount or class of amounts

(1) Paragraph 8(11)(d) of the Act provides that an amount, or class of amounts, received by a person is an exempt lump sum if the amount, or class of amounts, is determined to be an exempt lump sum.

(2) On 28 February 2001, Senator Amanda Vanstone, the Minister for Family and Community Services announced the establishment of a Rules Simplification Taskforce. The Taskforce aim is to review Centrelink’s processing requirements and arrangements including consultation with a range of stakeholders and the formation of focus groups.

(3) A person, being an age pensioner or an unemployed person, and who is a participant of a focus group, may be provided financial assistance of $40, to partially reimburse that person for any expenses associated with that person’s participation in the focus group.

2.2 Application—Exempt Lump Sums

(1) It is appropriate to determine that an amount, or class of amounts, paid to a person, on or after the commencement of this Determination, in accordance with the requirements of subclause 2.1(3) of this Determination, is an exempt lump sum for the purposes of paragraph 8(11)(d) of the Act from the date that the amount is paid.