Secretary Can Block Urgent Social Security Payments and Child Support Income Checks Can Use Later Dates
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026
House of Representatives
Senate
Assent
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
People cannot get an urgent social security payment if the Secretary decides they are ineligible.
The Registrar can now make administrative assessments of taxable income for child support over a later period; this replaces the previous requirement to do so by the next calendar month.
Employment income attribution rules now apply specifically to employees; they no longer apply to a general person.
People cannot get an urgent social security payment if the Secretary decides they are not entitled to it.
The Registrar can now use a later period, rather than the next calendar month, when making a new administrative assessment of taxable income for child support.
Attributed employment income is reduced to zero if the employee and the payment recipient are no longer a couple on the day the payment is made.