When introduced

Section of the Act

Changes

1976

Section 96 in the Repatriation Act 1920 (Repat Act)

Income test introduced obligations regarding income.

1977

Section 98A in the Repat Act

Supplementary assistance (rent assistance)

27 October 1983

Section 96 in the Repat Act

Pensioners over 70 no longer free from obligation to advise of change of circumstances.

14 March 1985

Section 121 in the Repat Act carried over in the Transitional provisions

Assets test introduced.

22 May 1986 to 1 July 1991

Section 127 VEA

Pensioners obliged to advise DVA within a specified period of any changes in circumstances.

1 December 1986

Section 127 VEA

Bulk exercise to issue half of recorded service pensioners with obligation advices. These were not issued to pensioners residing overseas.

1 November 1987

Section 127 VEA

Bulk exercise to issue remaining half of pensioner population with obligation advices. These were not issued to pensioners residing overseas. Capital growth letter also included as insert.

21 March 1991

Section 127 VEA

Computer generated advice letters for Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases.

1 July 1991

Section 54 VEA

Replaces Section 127 of the VEA. Full advice to pensioners on less than maximum rate service pension.

September 1991

Section 54 VEA

Full advice to all service pensioners.

March 1992

Section 54 VEA

Shortened advice issued to all service pensioners.

1 July 1992

Section 54 VEA

Start of quarterly advice issue for payday 9 July 1992. Service pensioners advised of full obligations once each year.

1 July 1996

Section 54 VEA

Deemed income rules extended to the full range of financial assets. This resulted in changes to both daily and quarterly advices to pensioners. For less-than-maximum rate pensioners, the June 1996 quarterly advice included details of the new deemed income rules, including: an explanation of the changes to the income test, a list of the pensioner's financial assets and an information sheet explaining how the new rules work. Affected pensioners also received an explanation of the saving of their eligibility for treatment benefits. A FREECALL 1800 hotline was established to deal with pensioner queries arising from receipt of the quarterly advice. The daily advices system was modified to incorporate the changes to the deemed income rules.

15 April 1997

Section 54 VEA

The previous policy of a minimum period of providing full obligations and assessment information every 12 months, has been extended to:

5 years for maximum rate pensioners; and

2 years for reduced rate pensioners.

Full obligations to be provided via the June mailout.

26 March 1998

Sections 67 & 68 in the SSA

Age pensioners not issued with You and Your Pension (Y&YP), but were issued with full obligations on transfer from the then Department of Social Security and were reminded that previous obligations issued continued to apply.

June 1998

Section 54 VEA

Y&YP distributed to all service pensioners and ISS recipients with the annual mailout of group certificates and Medicare Levy exemption certificates. Since that date a copy of the booklet is sent to all new grants of service pension or income support supplement with their grant advice. Full obligations provided if Y&YP not available.

13 July 1999

Section 54 VEA

June quarterly advice to all income support pensioners advising that section 54 obligations have changed from 21 days to no more than 14 days. This was due to the introduction of the 1997/98 Date of Effect Budget initiative. Also refer Clause 22, Part 3, Schedule 5 VEA.

23 July 2001

Section 54 VEA

Sections 67 & 68 in the SSA

2 — nd Edition of Y&YP issued to all new grants of service pension, income support supplement and social security age pension (paid by DVA). Booklet considered legal notification of obligations under sections 67 & 68 in the SSA. Full obligations provided if Y&YP not available.

1 July 2002

Section 54 VEA

Sections 67 & 68 in the SSA

Full obligations issued to all less than maximum rate service pensioners, income support supplement recipients and age pensioners via June 2002 Statutory Increase (SI) advice letter, Payment Summary (formerly named Group Certificate), and Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate mailout.

1 July 2002

Section 54 VEA

Disposal of assets rule changes – DI 28/2002. Paragraph inserted into full obligations that pensioners must inform the Department if they give away $10,000 in a tax year or $30,000 in a rolling five year period.

30 June 2003

Section 54 VEA

Full obligations issued to all maximum rate pensioners maximum rate pensioners in line with the Repatriation Commission policy that pensioners receiving maximum rate of pension be provided with their full obligations at a minimum interval of once every five years.

1 September 2003

Section 54 VEA

Y&YP provided to all pensioners in payment following End of Bereavement (EOB) processing. Stateline 31 July 2003.

6 October 2003

Section 54 VEA

Sections 67 & 68 in the SSA

3 — rd Edition of Y&YP issued to all new grants of service pension, income support supplement and social security age pension (paid by DVA). Also provided to all pensioners in payment following EOB processing.

7 October 2003

Sections 67 & 68 in the SSA

Y&YP not considered a legal notice of obligations for age pensioners receiving payment from DVA. Full obligations to be provided to all grants of age pension with Y&YP issued as an information booklet (DI 26/2003).