Contents

Part I--Preliminary                                                                                                                 1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Objects ................................................................................................ 1

3A......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 2

4............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 2

5............ Principles, objectives and guidelines ................................................... 3

5A......... Standards for the provision of certain services and programs ............ 3

6............ Extension of Act to certain external Territories .................................. 4

Part IA--Accreditation and certification for the purposes of certain services and programs          5

6A......... Definitions .......................................................................................... 5

6B......... Secretary may approve accrediting authorities ................................... 6

6C......... Accrediting authority may grant accreditation to certification bodies 6

6D......... Accredited certification body may give certificates of compliance to States or eligible organisations     7

6E.......... Accredited certification body may give certificates of compliance to providers of rehabilitation programs            8

Part II--Funding of services for persons with disabilities                                9

Division 1--General                                                                                                       9

7............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 9

8............ Target group etc. ............................................................................... 13

9............ Approval of additional eligible services ............................................ 14

9A......... Approval of additional employment services .................................. 14

Division 2--Grants for eligible services and research and development activities         15

10.......... Financial assistance for eligible services ........................................... 15

12.......... Financial assistance for research and development activities ........... 17

Division 2A--Grants for employment services                                             20

Subdivision A--Transitional grants                                                                       20

12AA.... Application of Subdivision ............................................................... 20

12AB.... Transitional financial assistance for employment services ............... 21

Subdivision B--Grants (other than transitional grants)                                    22

12AC.... Application of Subdivision ............................................................... 22

12AD.... Financial assistance for employment services .................................. 22

Subdivision C--Provisions applicable in respect of all grants under this Division             24

12AE..... Ancillary provisions relating to grants in respect of employment services              24

Division 3A--Disability Standards Review Panels                                      26

14B....... Establishment ................................................................................... 26

14C....... Functions .......................................................................................... 26

14D....... Powers .............................................................................................. 27

14E........ Performance of a Disability Standards Review Panel's functions .... 27

14F........ Minister may make orders ................................................................ 27

Division 3B--Failure to meet applicable standards or hold certificate of compliance    28

14G....... Declaration of failure to meet standards ........................................... 28

14GA.... Declaration of failure to hold certificate ........................................... 29

14H....... Certain matters to occur before Minister makes a declaration or takes action         30

14J........ Information about Minister's declaration may be made available to the public       30

Division 4--Miscellaneous                                                                                       32

14K....... Review of services funded under Division 2, or Subdivision A of Division 2A, of Part II      32

15.......... Agreements in respect of terms and conditions of grants ................. 32

16.......... Agreements may be entered into with transferees of land etc. ......... 33

Part III--Provision of rehabilitation services by the Commonwealth      35

Division 1--General                                                                                                     35

17.......... Interpretation .................................................................................... 35

18.......... Target group ..................................................................................... 35

19.......... Exercise of powers ............................................................................ 36

Division 2--Rehabilitation services                                                                    37

20.......... Provision of rehabilitation programs ................................................ 37

21.......... Restriction of rehabilitation programs to Australian citizens etc. .... 38

21A....... How are rehabilitation programs ended? .......................................... 38

22.......... Cost of rehabilitation programs ........................................................ 38

Division 3--Miscellaneous                                                                                       41

23.......... Recovery of costs of rehabilitation programs borne by the Commonwealth           41

24.......... Training allowance and living‑away‑from‑home allowance .............. 44

25.......... Arrangements for provision of rehabilitation programs ................... 45

26.......... Review of decisions under Part III ................................................... 45

27.......... Power to obtain information etc. ...................................................... 46

28.......... Secrecy .............................................................................................. 48

29.......... Offences against secrecy provision indictable offences .................... 49

30.......... Time limit for institution of prosecutions ........................................ 50

Part IV--Miscellaneous                                                                                                     51

32.......... Principles etc. to be in writing .......................................................... 51

33.......... Delegation by Minister ..................................................................... 51

34.......... Delegation by Secretary .................................................................... 51

35.......... Payments to be made out of appropriated money ........................... 52

36.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 52

Notes                                                                                                                                             53

An Act relating to the provision of services for persons with disabilities

  

Notes to the Disability Services Act 1986

Note 1

The Disability Services Act 1986 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 129, 1986 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

The Disability Services Act 1986 was modified by the A.C.T. Self‑Government (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (as amended). The modifications are not incorporated in this compilation.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 1 October 2001 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Disability Services Act 1986	129, 1986	9 Dec 1986	5 June 1987 (see Gazette 1986, No. S110)
Employment, Education and Training Act 1988	80, 1988	24 June 1988	1 July 1988 (see Gazette 1988, No. S190)	--
Statutory Instruments (Tabling and Disallowance) Legislation Amendment Act 1988	99, 1988	2 Dec 1988	2 Dec 1988	--
Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1990	141, 1990	28 Dec 1990	Part 3 (ss. 11, 12): Royal Assent (a)	--
Social Security (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991	70, 1991	25 June 1991	(b)	--
Veterans' Entitlements (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991	73, 1991	25 June 1991	S. 21: 1 July 1991 (c)	--
Health, Housing and Community Services Legislation Amendment Act 1992	88, 1992	30 June 1992	Part 2 (ss. 4-28): Royal Assent (d)	Ss. 6(2) and 28
Health and Community Services Legislation Amendment Act (No.2) 1993	76, 1993	25 Nov 1993	Part 2 (ss. 3-5): Royal Assent (e)	--
Human Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act 1994	80, 1994	23 June 1994	Ss. 4 and 5: Royal Assent (f)	--
Veterans' Affairs (1994‑95 Budget Measures) Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1994	164, 1994	16 Dec 1994	S. 26: (g)	--
Student Assistance (Youth Training Allowance--Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1994	184, 1994	23 Dec 1994	(h)	--
Evidence (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1995	3, 1995	23 Feb 1995	S. 14: Royal Assent (i) S. 27: 18 Apr 1995 (i)	S. 14
Human Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 3) 1995	149, 1995	16 Dec 1995	Schedule 2 (items 2, 3): Royal Assent (j)	--
Social Security and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act 1995	1, 1996	9 Jan 1996	Schedule 15: 20 Sept 1996 (k)	--
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance Consequential and Related Measures) Act 1998	45, 1998	17 June 1998	Schedule 13 (items 10, 11): 1 July 1998 (l)	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 397, 398): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (m)	--
Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of the Reserves and Modernisation) Act 2001	10, 2001	22 Mar 2001	Schedule 3 (item 6): 19 Apr 2001 (n)	--
Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	137, 2001	1 Oct 2001	2 Oct 2001	S. 4 [see Table A]
Disability Services Amendment (Improved Quality Assurance) Act 2002	28, 2002	5 Apr 2002	Schedule 1 (items 2-52): 1 July 2002 Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 1 (items 3, 52) [see Table A]
Higher Education Support (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2003	150, 2003	19 Dec 2003	Schedule 2 (items 98-101): (o)	--
Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Other Measures) Act 2005	154, 2005	14 Dec 2005	Schedule 23 (items 1-5): 1 July 2006	Sch. 23 (item 5) [see Table A]
Social Security and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2006	108, 2006	27 Sept 2006	Schedule 6 (item 2): (p) Schedule 8 (items 87-93): Royal Assent	--
Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Vocational Rehabilitation Services) Act 2007	65, 2007	15 Apr 2007	Schedule 1 (items 1-5, 8-16): 1 July 2007 Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 1 (items 7, 10, 17) [see Table A]

(a)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Part 3 (sections 11 and 12) only of the Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1990, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(b)    Section 2 of the Social Security (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991 provides as follows:

                   2.   This Act commences immediately after the Social Security Act 1991 commences.

         The Social Security Act 1991 commenced on 1 July 1991.

(c)     Subsection 2(1) of the Veterans' Entitlements (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsection (2), this Act commences on 1 July 1991, immediately after the commencement of the Veterans' Entitlements Amendment Act 1991.

(d)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Part 2 (sections 4-28) only of the Health, Housing and Community Services Legislation Amendment Act 1992, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

                 (2)   Part 2 commences, or is taken to have commenced:

                              (a)   on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

                              (b)   on 1 July 1992;

                         whichever occurs sooner.

(e)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Part 2 (sections 3-5) only of the Health and Community Services Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1993, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(f)      The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by sections 4 and 5 only of the Human Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act 1994, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(g)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by section 26 only of the Veterans' Affairs (1994‑95 Budget Measures) Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1994, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

                 (3)   Divisions 3 and 7 of Part 2 commence on 20 March 1995, immediately after the commencement of Divisions 6 and 7 of Part 2 of the Veterans' Affairs (1994‑95 Budget Measures) Legislation Amendment Act 1994.

(h)     Section 2 of the Student Assistance (Youth Training Allowance--Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1994 provides as follows:

                   2.   This Act commences on 1 January 1995 immediately after the commencement of the Student Assistance (Youth Training Allowance) Amendment Act 1994.

(i)      The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by sections 14 and 27 only of the Evidence (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1995, subsections 2(1) and (13) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   This Part and Parts 2 and 3 commence on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

               (13)   Section 27 of this Act and the Schedule to this Act commence:

                              (a)   on the day on which sections 153 and 155 of the Evidence Act 1995 commence; or

                              (b)   if those sections commence on different days--the first day on which both of those sections are in force.

         Sections 153 and 155 commenced on 18 April 1995.

(j)      The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Schedule 2 (items 2 and 3) only of the Human Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 3) 1995, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(k)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Schedule 15 only of the Social Security and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act 1995, subsection 2(5)(e) of which provides as follows:

                 (5)   The following provisions commence, or are taken to have commenced, on 20 September 1996:

                              (e)   Schedules 12, 13, 14 and 15.

(l)      The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Schedule 13 (items 10 and 11) only of the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance Consequential and Related Measures) Act 1998, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsections (2) to (10), this Act commences on 1 July 1998.

(m)    The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 397 and 398) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

                 (2)   Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

(n)     The Disability Services Act 1986 was amended by Schedule 3 (item 6) only of the Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of the Reserves and Modernisation) Act 2001, subsection 2(4) of which provides as follows:

                 (4)   Schedule 3 commences at the same time as the Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001.

(o)     Subsection 2(1) (item 8) of the Higher Education Support (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2003 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
8.  Schedule 2, items 95 to 103	The later of: (a) 1 January 2004; and (b) immediately after the commencement of sections 1‑10 to 238‑15 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.	1 January 2004

 

(p)     Subsection 2(1) (item 8) of the Social Security and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2006 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
8.  Schedule 6, item 2	Immediately after the commencement of item 21 of Schedule 1 to the Disability Services Amendment (Improved Quality Assurance) Act 2002.	1 July 2002

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part I
S. 3......................................	am. No. 88, 1992
S. 3A...................................	ad. No. 137, 2001
S. 4......................................	am. No. 28, 2002; No. 65, 2007
S. 5......................................	rs. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 108, 2006
S. 5A...................................	ad. No. 28, 2002
	am. No. 108, 2006
Part IA
Part IA.................................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Ss. 6A-6E...........................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Part II
Division 1
S. 7......................................	am. No. 80, 1988; No. 141, 1990; No. 88, 1992; No. 28, 2002; No. 108, 2006
S. 9......................................	rs. No. 28, 2002
	am. No. 108, 2006
S. 9A...................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	rs. No. 28, 2002
	am. No. 108, 2006
Ss. 9B, 9C...........................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
Division 2
S. 10....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 149, 1995
S. 11....................................	rep. No. 88, 1992
S. 12....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 149, 1995
Division 2A
Div. 2A of Part II..................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Subdivision A
Ss. 12AA, 12AB.................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Subdivision B
Ss. 12AC, 12AD..................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Subdivision C
S. 12AE...............................	ad. No. 28, 2002
Heading to Div. 3 of Part II...	rs. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
Div. 3 of Part II.....................	rep. No. 28, 2002
S. 12A ................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
S. 13....................................	am. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
S. 14....................................	rs. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
S. 14A.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	rep. No. 28, 2002
Division 3A
Div. 3A of Part II .................	ad. No. 88, 1992
S. 14B.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
S. 14C.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 28, 2002
Ss. 14D, 14E.......................	ad. No. 88, 1992
S. 14F..................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 108, 2006
Division 3B
Heading to Div. 3B of Part II.	rs. No. 28, 2002
Div. 3B of Part II ..................	ad. No. 88, 1992
S. 14G.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 28, 2002
S. 14GA..............................	ad. No. 28, 2002
S. 14H.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 28, 2002
S. 14J..................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 76, 1993; No. 28, 2002
Division 4
Heading to s. 14K................	rs. No. 28, 2002
S. 14K.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 28, 2002
S. 15....................................	rs. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 28, 2002
S. 16....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 76, 1993
Part III
Division 1
S. 17....................................	am. No. 70, 1991; No. 88, 1992; No. 28, 2002
S. 19....................................	am. No. 28, 2002; No. 65, 2007
Division 2
S. 20....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 154, 2005
	rs. No. 65, 2007
S. 21A.................................	ad. No. 88, 1992
	am. No. 154, 2005; No. 65, 2007
S. 22....................................	am. Nos. 70 and 73, 1991; No. 88, 1992; Nos. 164 and 184,1994; No. 1, 1996; No. 45, 1998; No. 28, 2002; No. 150, 2003; No. 65, 2007
Division 3
S. 23....................................	am. No. 80, 1994; No. 10, 2001
S. 24....................................	am. No. 70, 1991; No. 88, 1992; No. 28, 2002; No. 108, 2006
S. 25....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 146, 1999
S. 26....................................	am. No. 80, 1994
S. 27....................................	am. No. 137, 2001; No. 65, 2007
S. 28....................................	am. No. 70, 1991; No. 137, 2001
Part IV
S. 31....................................	am. No. 99, 1988; No. 88, 1992; No. 3, 1995; No. 28, 2002
	rep. No. 108, 2006
S. 32....................................	am. No. 88, 1992
S. 33....................................	am. No. 88, 1992; No. 28, 2002; No. 65, 2007
S. 34....................................	am. No. 28, 2002
	rs. No. 65, 2007

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 (No. 137, 2001)

4  Application of amendments

             (1)  Each amendment made by this Act applies to acts and omissions that take place after the amendment commences.

             (2)  For the purposes of this section, if an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after the day on which a particular amendment commences, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before the amendment commences.

Disability Services Amendment (Improved Quality Assurance) Act 2002
(No. 28, 2002)

Schedule 1

3  Saving

A determination made by the Minister that was in force under paragraph 9C(a) of the Disability Services Act 1986 immediately before the commencement of item 2 continues in force as if it had been made by the Minister under paragraph 5A(1)(a) inserted in that Act by that item but applies only in relation to eligibility services within the meaning of that Act as amended by this Schedule.

52  Transitional--pre‑2002‑03 grants of financial assistance under Disability Services Act

Despite the amendments made by this Schedule, the Disability Services Act 1986 as in force immediately before the commencement of this item continues to apply in respect of grants of financial assistance in respect of employment services approved before 1 July 2002 as if those amendments had not been made.

Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Other Measures) Act 2005 (No. 154, 2005)

Schedule 23

5  Application provision

The amendments of the Disability Services Act 1986 made by this Schedule apply to all rehabilitation programs being considered for approval on or after the commencement of this Schedule.

Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Vocational Rehabilitation Services) Act 2007 (No. 65, 2007)

Schedule 1

7  Application

The amendment made by item 6 applies to a rehabilitation program that:

                     (a)  is being provided to a person at the commencement of this item; or

                     (b)  commences to be provided to a person on or after the commencement of this item.

10  Saving

(1)        Despite the repeal of subsection 22(2) of the Disability Services Act 1986 by item 9, a determination that:

                     (a)  was made, before the commencement of that item, under that subsection; and

                     (b)  was in force immediately before that commencement;

continues in force after that commencement as if the repeal had not occurred.

(2)        To avoid doubt, despite the repeal of subsection 22(2) of the Disability Services Act 1986 by item 9, a direction that:

                     (a)  was given, before the commencement of that item, under subsection 22(3) of that Act in relation to subsection 22(2) of that Act; and

                     (b)  was in force immediately before that commencement;

continues in force after that commencement as if the repeal had not occurred.

17  Guidelines formulated for Part III under subsection 5(1)--transitional provision

Subsections 5(2), (3) and (4) of the Disability Services Act 1986 do not apply to guidelines:

                     (a)  that relate to Part III of that Act as amended by this Act; and

                     (b)  that are formulated under subsection 5(1) of that Act on or after the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent and before 1 July 2007.