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2001-02 Budget Paper No. 2

Environment and Heritage

Domestic greenhouse policy development

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $24.2 million over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to enable the Australian Greenhouse Office to continue the development of domestic greenhouse policies. The funding will support the analysis and development of cost-effective greenhouse gas abatement policies, including the reduction of emissions from key energy supply and transport sectors. This will continue implementation of Government commitments under the National Greenhouse Strategy.

This measure will be funded through the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme.

See related expense measures Greenhouse international policy and reporting, and greenhouse sinks and Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme in the Environment and Heritage portfolio.

Greenhouse international policy and reporting, and greenhouse sinks

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $21.7 million over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to enable the Australian Greenhouse Office to continue to advance Australia's involvement in the development of the international climate change agenda. The funding provides for capacity to evaluate progress towards Australia's commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and targets under the Kyoto Protocol.

This measure will be funded through the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme.

See related expense measures Domestic greenhouse policy development and Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme in the Environment and Heritage portfolio.

Pricing review of the Australian Greenhouse Office

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has endorsed the outcomes of a pricing review for the Australian Greenhouse Office resulting in a reduction in the Australian Greenhouse Office's resourcing by $0.7 million in 2001-02 and $0.6 million in 2002-03. The Australian Greenhouse Office will have total resourcing of $217.8 million in 2001-02. An important element of the review was the collection of performance information to identify better practices in the delivery of government services.

The reduction in resourcing will be accommodated through efficiency measures identified as part of the review. The reduction will not result in any change to the quantity or quality of the outputs produced by the Australian Greenhouse Office.

Administration of the fuel quality legislation

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will allocate $8 million in funding over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to support the establishment and maintenance of a monitoring and compliance programme to administer the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000. This Act prescribes uniform national standards for fuel supplied in Australia. Changes to standards will have environmental benefits through the reduction of pollutant emissions.

This measure is being fully absorbed within the existing resourcing of the Department of the Environment and Heritage.

Conservation of rural and regional historic hotels

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

In 2001-02, the Government will provide $5 million in grants to hotels in rural and regional Australia to meet up to 50 per cent of costs incurred to preserve their historic features or attributes. Grants will only be paid to hotels without gaming machines, and the social, economic and regional benefits of hotel restoration will be taken into account in determining eligibility for grants.

See also the related revenue measure titled Reduction of excise on draught beer in the Treasury portfolio.

Goondiwindi Serpentine Water Park

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide a grant of up to $5 million in 2001-02 to the Goondiwindi Town Council to develop a recreational facility at Serpentine Lagoon, Goondiwindi. The facility is needed because Boobera Lagoon is to be closed to current facilities as a result of a declaration of protection under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984. The new facility will satisfy relevant Commonwealth, State and local legislative requirements.

Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

Funding of $45.9 million over five years, commencing 2001-02, is to be provided from within the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme to support the Australian Greenhouse Office's activities in developing international and domestic greenhouse policies. Funding for these activities is consistent with the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme's primary objective which is to reduce Australia's net greenhouse emissions by supporting activities that are likely to result in substantial emissions reductions or sink enhancements.

Current funding for the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme is $400 million over five years, commencing in 2000-01.

See related expense measures Greenhouse international policy and reporting, and greenhouse sinks and Domestic greenhouse policy development in the Environment and Heritage portfolio.

National Pollutant Inventory

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $5.1 million in funding for the extension of the National Pollutant Inventory Programme for four years, commencing in 2001-02. The National Pollutant Inventory is designed to provide all sectors of the Australian community with information on the types and amounts of pollutants being emitted to the air, land and water in Australia.

Natural Heritage Trust Extension

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide over $1 billion in funding for the extension of the Natural Heritage Trust from 2002-03 to 2006-07. Funding will allow the Government to continue its strong national leadership role in addressing national sustainable production and conservation priorities across Australia. Funding of $100 million in 2002-03 is to top up funds rolled over from previous years and with interest flows from the Trust Fund will bring budgeted spending to around $250 million that year, with new funds continuing at around $233 million per annum for four years thereafter.

The Trust has funded, through a variety of mechanisms, projects that will protect and restore the environment and support sustainable agriculture. Work on management planning and monitoring of natural resources will support targeted on-ground activities such as tree planting, fencing to protect native vegetation and waterways, improved beach access to protect sensitive dune areas and protection of endangered species. Attention will also be given to supporting the Landcare network and working with farmers to improve management practices.

The Commonwealth will invite the States and Territories to make matching contributions.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Environment and Heritage and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Pricing review of the Australian Antarctic Division

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has endorsed the outcomes of a pricing review for Australian Antarctic Division resulting in no overall change in the Australian Antarctic Division's resourcing. An important element of the review was the collection of performance information from a range of providers to identify better practices in the delivery of government services.

The review found that Australian Antarctic Division funding is adequate to effectively and efficiently deliver its services.

Pricing review of the Bureau of Meteorology

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has endorsed the outcomes of a pricing review for the Bureau of Meteorology resulting in no overall change in the Bureau of Meteorology's resourcing. An important element of the review was the collection of performance information from a range of providers to identify better practices in the delivery of government services.

The review found that Bureau of Meteorology funding is adequate to effectively and efficiently deliver its services.

Queensland East Coast Trawl Restructure Programme

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government provided $10 million in 2000-01 for the implementation of the East Coast Trawl Plan.

The East Coast Trawl Plan will assist in the move to ecologically sustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef through measures such as capping of the catch and reduction in effort, closure of non-trawled areas, and mandatory use of bycatch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices.

This measure is being fully absorbed within the existing resourcing of the Department of the Environment and Heritage.

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will reallocate up to $14 million of funding in 2001-02 to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust from existing Federation fund allocations for management of the Trust's six harbour sites. Development of management plans will involve extensive public consultation as well as assessments and surveys for site remediation and environmental management; and consideration of the natural and cultural values in planning for future uses. Funding will also provide for administration of essential maintenance and repair works; safety and security of Trust properties; and services and facilities to enable public access. Funding will occur through a reallocation of existing resources for this project.

Wildlife programmes and biodiversity conservation responsibilities

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $2.8 million over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to maintain and enhance Australia's capacity to meet wildlife and biodiversity conservation responsibilities under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and wildlife protection legislation.

Funding to offset the reduction in revenue related to the Environmental Management Charge

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will extend funding by $1.7 million over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to meet an estimated shortfall in receipts from the Environmental Management Charge which visitors contribute towards the maintenance of the reef environment.

Management of aquaculture impacts

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $1.7 million over four years, commencing 2001-02, to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to enhance management of aquaculture adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Coastal aquaculture, particularly prawn farming, is a fast growing industry on the Queensland coast. This measure will serve to ensure that aquaculture developments do not impact upon the environmental values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Townsville Aquarium - Reef Headquarters

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $3.3 million over four years, commencing in 2001-02, to support the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority during refurbishment of the Townsville Aquarium - Reef Headquarters. The funding will enable the development of a business plan, and allow the Authority to meet operational expenses for this major regional tourism facility and education centre.

See also the related capital measure Townsville Aquarium - Reef Headquarters in the Environment and Heritage portfolio.

Family and Community Services

Acknowledging Older Australians - Exempt Superannuation from the Social Security Means Test for People Aged Between 55 and Age Pension Age

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will exempt superannuation assets from the social security means test for people aged between 55 and age pension age from 1 July 2001.

As a result of this exemption, around 55,000 clients will either receive an increased payment or commence being entitled to payments.

Around 17,000 new clients are expected to become entitled to a Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card, resulting in increased expenses in the Department of Health and Aged Care.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Acknowledging Older Australians - Extend Eligibility for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will extend eligibility for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Annual income limits for eligibility for the Card will be extended from $41,000 to $50,000 for singles and from $68,676 to $80,000 for couples.

It is expected that approximately another 50,000 people will become eligible for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card as a result of this initiative, and will benefit from concessional pharmaceuticals through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Currently, concession card holders pay $3.50 towards the cost of PBS medicines compared to $21.90 for non-concession card holders. Concession card holders who spend more than $182 per year (52 prescriptions) on PBS medicines are entitled to free medicines for the rest of the calendar year. The Department of Family and Community Services will issue cards upon receipt of an application after assessing eligibility.

See the related expense measure, Acknowledging Older Australians - Telephone Allowance to Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holders in the Family and Community Services Portfolio.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Acknowledging Older Australians - One-Off Payment to the Aged

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide by 30 June 2001 a one-off payment of $300 to around 2.2 million income support clients over age pension age (including service pensioners). The payment will automatically be made to income support clients without them having to lodge a claim. These payments will cost $663.2 million in 2000-01.

People of age pension age who are outside the social security and taxation systems, and who meet the criteria for the scheme will be able to apply for the payment. This group will need to claim the payment through Centrelink by 31 December 2001 leading to an expected expense in 2001-02 of $10.1 million.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Acknowledging Older Australians - Telephone Allowance to Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holders

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will extend Telephone Allowance from September 2001 to people who qualify for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

Previously, only pensioners and certain allowees qualified for the Telephone Allowance of $17.20 per quarter (for both singles and couples).

In addition, the Commonwealth will open negotiations with State and Territory Governments to see if some or all of the concesions that are currently available to pensioners and certain allowees can be extended over time to Commonwealth Seniors Health Cardholders.

Compliance package - detection

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will improve the detection of incorrect payments and fraudulent claims. Data matching exercises will be undertaken with the Australian Taxation Office to determine undeclared property assets and income and additional capacity will be provided to process reviews arising from `tip-offs' received from the public.

It is expected that these changes will generate substantial savings through the identification of incorrect income support and family assistance payments.

Compliance package - prevention

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will reduce fraudulent claims and will better control incorrect payments of benefits. This will be achieved by:

• improved validation of new benefit claims through improved recording of proof of identity documents (to assist in preventing incorrect payment of benefits and fraudulent claims); and
• developing customer risk profiles, primarily for Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance. Profiles will be developed through a risk profile pilot running from September 2001 to August 2002. The pilot will examine the effectiveness of linking customer characteristics with the risk to correct payments and other outcomes. Centrelink will use these profiles to target its contact with customers, which will lead to a more effective identification of incorrect payments.

Compliance package - research and development

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will identify possible new avenues of compliance activity. Research and development will be undertaken into ways of improving the control of incorrect payment and fraud, identifying further scope for tightening existing controls and testing methods to strengthen those controls through:

• feasibility studies to assess the effectiveness of new data matching with the Australian Taxation Office to identify undeclared income. These studies will be conducted between 1 July 2001 and 30 June 2003. They will assess the effectiveness of data matching with the Australian Taxation Office group certificate data and Australian Business Numbers to assist in the detection of employment income and income derived from operating a business which has not been declared to Centrelink;
• random sample surveys during 2001-02 to detect undeclared changed circumstances and to provide data on the level and reasons for incorrect payment; and
• conducting a review and analysis during 2001-02 of the overall deterrence framework to determine its effectiveness in controlling incorrect payments and fraud.

Department of Family and Community Services pricing review of services delivered through Non-Government Organisations and State and Territory Governments

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has endorsed the outcomes of a Department of Family and Community Services pricing review of services delivered through non-government organisations resulting in no overall change in resourcing. Resourcing remained unchanged as programmes are subject to funding agreements of varying terms. The outcome of the review included a commitment that the Department will implement a strategy of progressive review and evaluation of all programmes every five years, and that new or revised agreements will continue to build on the substantial progress already made towards outputs and outcomes based funding.

Expanding the supply of healthy indigenous housing

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government is providing an additional $75 million over four years for indigenous housing in rural and remote areas. This will fund the repair of existing houses to a safe and healthy standard, build additional new homes and assist communities to better manage their housing and tenancy services. The funding is provided in addition to existing funding of $364 million over four years for the Aboriginal Rental Housing Programme and $935 million for the Community Housing and Infrastructure Programme.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Family and Community Services and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Provide Health Care Cards to foster children

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will amend the eligibility criteria for Health Care Cards for foster children to ensure that all foster carers are able to access Health Care Cards for the foster children in their care, regardless of means testing.

This extends a measure announced in the 1998-99 Budget that allows the issue of Health Care Cards to foster carers who receive Family Tax Benefit, provided that the foster child was eligible for a Health Care Card when they were with their original family. Children not listed on their parent or guardian's card before being placed in foster care will be able to benefit from the card under the extended arrangements. It will assist both formal and informal foster carers and it is anticipated that around 2,700 additional foster children could be covered by a Health Care Card after 1 July 2001.

This is a cross portfolio measure between the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Family homelessness and early intervention pilots

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will conduct a series of pilots to identify effective methods of recognising families at risk of homelessness and providing early assistance to prevent homelessness occurring.

The pilots, to run from June 2002 to June 2004, will assist up to 1,000 families in around nine locations to regain stability in their housing and financial circumstances, and will help them to access community services, labour market programmes and employment. Participation in the pilot will be voluntary.

Family Tax Benefit shared care and Child Support Agency liability

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will, from 1 July 2002, allow the Child Support Registrar the discretion to direct the Department of Family and Community Services to pay an individual's Family Tax Benefit entitlement to the Child Support Agency in order to discharge that individual's child support debt.

The discretion would only be used in situations where the individual has failed to pay their child support debt by the due date and the debt is in relation to the same children as the Family Tax Benefit entitlement.

Further simplification of international payments

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will rationalise Australia's international social security payment arrangements. The Government will more closely align with international standards the period of Australian Working Life Residence (AWLR) that people must meet in order to receive a full Australian social security pension while overseas on a long term basis. The residence period is to be extended from 25 years to 30 years.

In order to help those who plan to reside overseas on a long term basis, the Government will extend beyond age pension age the period during which AWLR can be built up. Under the revised arrangements, people who register under the Pension Bonus Scheme will be able to continue to add to their AWLR after reaching age pension age.

The Government will also standardise the recovery of overpayments of Australian pensions where people receive their foreign pension in arrears. From April 2002, any overpayment of Australian pension will be fully recovered. Currently, this only occurs when clients receive a lump sum payment of foreign pension from countries with which Australia has an international social security agreement.

These initiatives will apply to people leaving Australia or receiving a foreign pension arrears payment after 1 April 2002.

Introduce discretion for parents who have shared care to waive eligibility for Family Tax Benefit

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will permit, from 1 December 2001, a parent who has care of a child between 10 and 30 per cent of the time to waive his or her eligibility for Family Tax Benefit. In such cases, this will allow the parent with most care responsibilities to receive the whole Family Tax Benefit entitlement for the child during this period.

In some instances, such as where the income of the non-resident parent precludes them from being paid Family Tax Benefit, a greater amount of Family Tax Benefit may be paid overall for a child as a result of this measure.

National research and education strategy to prevent problem gambling

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will help address and combat problem gambling through:

• a public education campaign that will raise community awareness on the issue of problem gambling; and
• a national research and evaluation programme that will undertake research on issues such as risk factors for problem gambling, the effectiveness of existing treatment programmes, and the community impacts of gambling.

New and revised international social security agreements

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has entered into a number of new and revised international social security agreements, which will improve access to foreign pensions by Australian residents, and access to Australian pensions by former Australian residents.

A new agreement with the United States is expected to result in approximately 1,600 new Australian pensioners (and about 2,300 Australians becoming eligible for United States pensions), with effect from 1 July 2002.

Revised agreements signed with Austria, Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain update agreements that have been in place for many years. The revisions are expected to marginally increase the number of people currently paid by Australia under all five agreements (about 8,300), with effect from 1 January 2002. Australia's expenses under the agreements are partially offset by contributions from the agreement countries in respect of their citizens residing in Australia. This contribution from agreement countries reduces the payments made to these people under Australian social security arrangements.

The agreements with the USA, the Netherlands and Portugal will also include superannuation guarantee provisions that will eliminate double coverage of workers seconded to Australia and so will remove some disincentives to businesses operating between Australia and those countries.

New social security arrangements between Australia and New Zealand

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

Following a joint review with the New Zealand Government, the Commonwealth announced that from 26 February 2001, changed arrangements would apply to New Zealand citizens seeking to claim social security payments in Australia. Most New Zealand citizens who move to Australia after that date will only be able to access the full range of income support payments and employment assistance if they have permanent resident status in Australia.

In addition, a new social security agreement with New Zealand will commence from 1 July 2002. The new agreement will cover age pension, disability support pension and carer payment. Australia and New Zealand will share financial responsibility for these pensions, each paying a proportion of the pension based on the length of time that recipients have spent in each country.

See also related revenue measure New Social Security Arrangements between Australia and New Zealand in the Family and Community Services portfolio and related expense capital and revenue measures New Social Security Arrangements between Australia and New Zealand in the Immigration and Multicultural Affairs portfolio.

Supplementation for employment assistance and other services

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide an increase of $2.7 million in 2001-02 to supplement funding for employment assistance and other services for people with a disability. The provision of this funding will ensure the continued capacity of disability services that are provided primarily through community based organsiations.

The Mentor Marketplace

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will help to connect young people to paid employment and the concept of lifelong learning. In addition, it will encourage the development of a mentoring culture in business, schools and communities and kick-start mentoring projects in higher-risk schools and communities. It will also encourage young people to participate in skill-sharing and peer-mentoring opportunities.

The Mentor Marketplace will commence from 1 July 2002, and consists of two elements:

• a national mentoring scheme that will fund research to identify best practice in mentoring. The scheme will then fund workshops and conferences to enable the results of this research to be distributed nationally; and
• the creation of mentoring projects in communities and areas that do not currently have such projects operating for secondary students and early school-leavers. In communities with existing mentoring projects, assistance will be provided to help them develop further.

This measure forms part of the Government's initial response to the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce Report Footprints to the Future.

Transition to Independent Living Allowance

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide a Transition to Independent Living Allowance. This allowance is a one-off payment for young people leaving state-supported care, which will help with the costs of moving from supported care to independent living.

State and Territory Governments will deliver this payment from 1 March 2003 on the Commonwealth's behalf. The rate of payment will be set on a case by case basis up to a maximum of $1,000. Guidelines for determining the amount paid will be established in consultation with State and Territory governments.

This measure forms part of the Government's initial response to the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce Report Footprints to the Future.

Australians Working Together

Australians are justly proud of their social safety net, which embodies the Australian values of a fair go and of helping people in need. Our economy and society are changing rapidly, and we need to ensure the safety net keeps pace and people are not left behind. Through Australians Working Together, the Government is making a substantial investment of $1.7 billion to provide more choices and opportunities for people to move forward.

The Australians Working Together package provides new funding for employment and community services to expand and improve the assistance available to Australians looking for work. Extra help will be provided for parents, mature age people, indigenous Australians and people with disabilities. The package provides new incentives for people to take up full-time, part-time or irregular casual jobs by allowing them to keep more of their income support payments when they start work. From July 2002 new requirements will apply to working-age people receiving unemployment payments. Taking account of individual circumstances, some people receiving income support payments will be required to take up the opportunities available to help them become job-ready and better able to take part in Australia's economic and community life.

Funding will be provided through the Departments of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, Family and Community Services, Education, Training and Youth Affairs and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Australians Working Together - Helping People to Move Forward: Summary of measures

(a) Includes capital injection to Centrelink of $16.9 million over two years.

Helping people to find jobs

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will help people to find jobs through better employment services, new training credits and standardised mutual obligation requirements.

Better employment services

Explanation

The Government will provide the Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business portfolio with $177 million over four years for 30,000 extra Job Search Training places, 16,500 extra Work for the Dole places and community work placements for 35,000 job seekers. This funding will also provide help for 60,000 job seekers in their last week of Work for the Dole or equivalent hours of community work with resume development, references and updating job seeker skills. This initiative also will provide for better assessment of 40,000 people in Intensive Assistance and review the progress of people with severe or multiple personal obstacles to finding work while they receive support in both Intensive Assistance and the new Personal Support Programme.

Funding of $9 million over four years will provide for 3,600 new language, literacy and numeracy places in the Education, Training and Youth Affairs portfolio.

Training credits

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $111 million to make available Training Credits of up to $800 each for 69,000 mature age and indigenous job seekers in Job Search Training and Intensive Assistance over four years. The funding will also provide similar Training Credits to 64,500 people who do between 16 and 26 weeks of Work for the Dole or community work monitored by Community Work Coordinators.

Mutual Obligation requirements

Explanation

Funding will be provided to implement standardised mutual obligation requirements for job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance aged up to 49 years. From 1 July 2002 all job seekers aged up to 49 will be required to undertake Job Search Training after three month's unemployment. After six month's unemployment and at least annually thereafter, job seekers aged 18 to 49 will be required to undertake community work (200 hours for 18 to 20 year-olds, 240 hours for 21 to 39 year-olds and 150 hours for 40 to 49 year-olds), 130 hours of part-time paid work, 100 hours of study or an activity from the mutual obligation menu over 26 weeks. Work for the Dole will be the default for job seekers aged to 39 should they fail to choose an activity themselves. The default for 40 to 49 year-olds will be referral to a Community Work Coordinator.

Helping parents return to work

Expense ($m)

Explanation

Funding of $191 million over four years will be provided to the Family and Community Services portfolio to encourage parents with school-age children receiving Parenting Payment to prepare for a return to the paid workforce as their children grow up. This will be realised through annual interviews with Centrelink Personal Advisers for parents whose youngest child is aged between 6 and 15 and part-time activity requirements for parents whose youngest child is aged between 13 and 15. Centrelink Personal Advisers will connect parents with additional training and other assistance through the Jobs, Education and Training programme. The Government also will provide information to parents on the assistance and options available, through Participation Packs.

New funding of $49 million over four years will be provided through the Education, Training and Youth Affairs portfolio for new places in career counselling and language, literacy and numeracy training and new places in vocational education and training.

In addition, existing funding will be redirected from the Return to Work programme and the pre-vocational elements of the Jobs, Education and Training programme to form the new Transition to Work programme providing better transitional assistance for people who have been away from the workforce for a long time, and for those who have never had paid jobs.

See also the related capital measure Helping parents return to work in the Family and Community Services portfolio.

A fair go for mature age workers

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $147 million over four years to give working-age people aged 50 and over more encouragement and assitance to participate, more uniform assistance through Newstart Allowance and more help for those retrenched.

More encouragement to participate

Explanation

The Government will provide $103 million over four years in the Family and Community Services portfolio for annual interviews to encourage people on Mature Age Allowance, Partner Allowance and Widow Allowance to access assistance to help them get back into the paid work force and to plan for when they reach retirement age. With the closure of Mature Age Allowance and Partner Allowance to new entrants from July 2003, additional funding is being provided for people over 50 claiming income support payment through Newstart Allowance. In addition, all new Widow Allowees will be required to attend an annual interview only.

New funding of $1 million will be provided to the Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business portfolio to help reduce the effects of retrenchments on people through best practice guidelines on managing retrenchments to be developed in partnership with industry. The Government will also provide better information to people facing retrenchment, including on how best to establish a small business.

More assistance

Explanation

Funding of $30 million over four years will be provided for additional places in disability employment assistance services and rehabilitation through the Family and Community Services portfolio.

Funding of $14 million over four years will be provided for additional places in career counselling, language, literacy and numeracy training and vocational education and training through the Education, Training and Youth Affairs portfolio.

Getting people the right help

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $144 million over four years to help make sure people get the right help through a new Personal Support Programme, improved assessments and additional information technology.

Personal Support Programme

Explanation

From July 2002, additional funding of $62 million over four years will be provided to establish a new Personal Support Programme to help people on income support payments who have severe or multiple personal obstacles to employment, such as homelessness, drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness or domestic violence. The Personal Support Programme will assist some 45,000 people each year by 2004-05, up from 15,000 places in 2000-01.

Existing funding also will be re-directed to the new programme from the Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business portfolio over the three years from July 2002.

Better assessments

Explanation

The Government will provide $32 million over four years to better assess the needs of indigenous Australians, people exempt from the Newstart and Youth Allowance activity tests and people recently released from prison and to connect them earlier to assistance that will help them improve their circumstances and find paid work.

Improved information technology

Explanation

The Government will invest $50 million over four years to improve information technology among providers of services to people on income support payments, which will improve cost-effectiveness of current and new arrangements.

A better deal for people with disabilities

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $177 million over four years in funding for people with disabilities which will deliver better access to education and training, better assessment, better access to employment assistance and quality assurance.

Better access to education and training

Explanation

The Government will provide $37 million over three years in additional education assistance for people with disabilities. Funding will be provided for about 5,200 new places in vocational education and training, additional support for over 1,500 students with disabilities in higher education and fifteen new Disability Coordination Officers to help people with disabilities move between school, vocational education and training, higher education and employment and to coordinate support services.

Better assessment

Explanation

Funding of $65 million over four years will be provided to improve Centrelink assessment of claims for Disability Support Pension and Newstart (Incapacitated). This funding will enable greater use of external expertise in assessments to focus on people's capacity rather than incapacity and provide for better communication with treating doctors about how the information they provide will be used in assessments.

Better access to employment assistance

Explanation

The Government will fund 7000 new disability employment assistance places, at a cost of $57 million over four years, which will provide additional opportunities for people with disabilities in business services and open employment in rural and remote locations and in areas of high demand.

Quality assurance of employment assistance

Explanation

The Government will provide $19 million over four years to fund an internationally accredited system from January 2002 to make sure disability employment assistance services deliver quality outcomes. Funding will also provide for 500 extra places in the Assessment and Contestability Trial to test a better way for people to access the right services.

Promoting self-reliance for indigenous people

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will spend an additional $83 million over four years to promote self-reliance for indigenous people through Community Participation Agreements and capacity building, better support for indigenous people to get a job, increased education and training assistance and remote area servicing.

Community participation agreements and capacity building

Explanation

The Government will provide $32 million over four years for Community Participation Agreements and capacity building for indigenous people in remote communities. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission will work with about 100 communities to identify practical ways in which indigenous people on income support can contribute to their communities in return for their income support. Communities will be provided with financial assistance for capacity building activities, such as leadership, strengthening culture and community governance.

Better support to get a job

Explanation

New funding of $31 million over four years will be provided to assist up to 10,000 indigenous people in Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) in areas with viable labour markets to get paid work. Existing funding of $17 million will be re-directed from the Indigenous Employment Programme. In areas with viable labour markets, CDEP organisations will be encouraged to take on the role of Indigenous Employment Centres, offering work experience, job search support and access to training. Indigenous Employment Centres will also provide support and mentoring for indigenous job seekers outside CDEP.

Increased education and training assistance

Explanation

The Government will provide $10 million over four years for increased education and training assistance for indigenous Australians. Support will be provided to encourage some 1600 secondary school students in indigenous communities to finish Year 12 and go on to further education and training. A further 2300 secondary school students will be assisted to take up vocational learning opportunities supported by business.

Remote area servicing

Explanation

The Government will provide $9 million over four years to deliver Centrelink services more effectively to Australians in remote communities. Centrelink will establish up to 12 servicing centres in remote areas to service and support surrounding communities by 2004-05. The first four centres will be established in 2002-03.

Help to participate

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $521 million over four years to improve participation through the Working Credit initiative and the Literacy and Numeracy Training Supplement.

See also related capital measure Help to particpate in the Family and Community Services portfolio.

Working Credit

Explanation

The Government will provide funds of $500 million over four years for the Working Credit initiative. This initiative will provide a new incentive for workforce-age people on income support to take up paid jobs. Through Working Credits, people on income support are able to accumulate credits for earned income in periods during which they have little or no earnings, which they can use later to effectively increase their income test free area. The current income test free areas are $62 per fortnight for Newstart recipients and $106 per fortnight for single work-force age pensioners, without children. People will accumulate credits in fortnights in which their earned income is below the $48 threshold. A maximum of $1000 applies to accumulated credits.

The income test rules will be made simpler for workforce-age pensioners and people who receive Parenting Payment. Procedures will be simplified for people to get back onto income support payments after taking up short-term work or whose job ends soon after they have gone off payment.

Literacy and numeracy training supplement

Explanation

The Government will provide funding of $20 million over four years for a fortnightly Literacy and Numeracy Training Supplement of $20.80, to help meet incidental costs such as travel to courses. The Supplement will become available from September 2002 for people on income support payments attending approved literacy and numeracy training programmes.

More child care places

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide additional funding for outside school hours child care places for 5300 more children each year from July 2001. Grants will be provided to new child care services to assist with set up costs, and Child Care Benefit will be paid to eligible parents. Funding will also be used to help more parents meet the `gap' fee for child care through the Jobs, Education and Training programme from September 2002.

Community and business engagement

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide new funding of $22 million over four years for community and business engagement. The Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership will encourage companies and businesses to identify and generate opportunities for people with disabilities, mature age people, Indigenous Australians and parents returning to work. Local community business networks involving small and medium enterprises will be encouraged to build awareness and opportunities. Funding will be available for a communications campaign, an Australian Employers Forum to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities, a website and to take forward a national framework of triple bottom line accounting. In addition, funding will be available for communication and consultation with the community on implementation of the Australians Working Together package.

Planning for the future

Expense ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $5 million over four years to evaluate the effectiveness of the Australians Working Together Package and support piloting of new initiatives.

Finance and Administration

Early payout of AvSuper superannuation liabilities

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The AvSuper superannuation fund covers Airservices Australia staff and some staff of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The Commonwealth has a liability to the fund in respect of members who transferred to AvSuper from the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme.

The Government has decided to pay out its remaining liabilities to the AvSuper superannuation fund by 30 June 2001. This will reduce the Commonwealth's future interest expenses and simplify its superannuation arrangements.

Establishment of a private financing unit

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Department of Finance and Administration will establish a private financing assessment unit to assist Commonwealth agencies to evaluate and advise the Government on any proposed private financing arrangements.

Privately financed projects can provide benefits to the public sector such as access to specialist expertise, innovation and the opportunity to transfer risk.

Indexation of Commonwealth superannuation benefit

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has decided to introduce twice yearly indexation of Commonwealth superannuation pensions under the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) and the Public Sector Superannuation Scheme (PSS). This indexation will occur twice yearly on 1 July and 1 January for movements in the Consumer Price Index for the previous half year. This will reduce the delay between inflation effects faced by superannuation pensioners and income adjustments. This change will commence from 1 January 2002.

Information technology upgrade in electorate offices

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide $4 million in 2001-02 and $3 million per year ongoing to upgrade the information technology resources for Senators and Members of Parliament.

Mapping of the Australian Antarctic Territory extended continental shelf

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide additional funding of $12.9 million over four years to enable completion of the project announced in the 2000-01 Budget.

This project will map the limits of the continental shelf off the Australian Antarctic Territory beyond Australia's 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone, to preserve Australia's rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Continuation of Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support resourcing for the asset sales programme

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government will provide the Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support (OASCS) with additional funding in 2001-02 to enable it to continue activities associated with its asset sales and commercial support activities.

Consistent with previous practice, the departmental expenses for OASCS are determined in the annual budget process.

Deferral of the further sale of the Commonwealth's shareholding of Telstra Corporation - sale costs

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Government has announced that the further privatisation of Telstra would be dependent on the achievement of satisfactory service levels recommended in the Telecommunications Service Inquiry. This involves the deferral of sales of further tranches of Telstra shares with the consequent deferral of sales costs incurred by the Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support.

Sale of Kingsford Smith Airport - sale costs

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support has been funded $18.6 million over two years with $2.1 million in 2000-01 for the direct costs associated with the sale of Kingsford Smith Airport. The sale is expected to be completed in the second half of the 2001 calendar year.

See also the related capital measure Sale of Kingsford Smith Airport in the Finance and Administration portfolio.

Scoping study for the future ownership of Sydney Airports Corporation Limited

Expenses ($m)

Explanation

The Office of Asset Sales and Commercial Support was funded $1.7 million in 2000-01 to report on options for the future ownership of the Sydney Airports Corporation Limited. The report was considered by the Government in March 2001, and led to the decision to sell Kingsford Smith Airport.

See also the related expense measure Sale of Kingsford Smith Airport - sale costs in the Finance and Administration portfolio.