Social Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 1981

Public bill · Government · Presented

The Social Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 1981 would increase most social insurance, means-tested welfare, occupational injury and children’s allowance payments, with most changes starting in April and children’s increases from July. It would also raise social insurance contributions and the earnings limit on which they are charged, while reducing pay-related benefits by introducing 12 unpaid waiting days for each new period of incapacity. A new 14-week maternity payment for employed women would generally match take-home pay, subject to a minimum, and the 15-year residence rule for the non-contributory old-age pension would be removed. The tables on pages 2 and 3 show the proposed payment increases, while later provisions extend certain supports for carers, student children and pensioners, protect some welfare payments from debt claims, and increase penalties for employers involved in fraudulent unemployment claims.

Last updated 10 June 2020