CHILD CARE PAYMENTS ACT 1997

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1--PRELIMINARY MATTERSýÜ

• 1 Short title 
• 2 Commencement 
• 3 Identifying defined terms 
• 4 Overview  

PART 2--INTERPRETATION

• 5 Definitions 
• 6 Meaning of comply with a tax file number request--request for 
• 7 Meaning of comply with a tax file number request--request for tax 
• 8 Meaning of conscientious objection 
• 9 Extended meaning of inhabitant of Australia--students receiving 
• 10 Extended meaning of inhabitant of Australia--hardship and special 
• 11 Meaning of member of a couple 
• 12 Meaning of payment commencement day 
• 13 Meaning of receiving 
• 14 Meaning of satisfies the work/training/study test 
• 15 Work/training/study test--recognised work or work related 
• 16 Work/training/study test--recognised training commitments 
• 17 Work/training/study test--recognised study commitments 
• 18 Minister's power to make determinations for the purposes of other 

PART 1--ENTITLEMENT

• 19 Entitlement to child care assistance 

PART 2--QUALIFICATION

• 20 Qualification for child care assistance 
• 21 Meaning of dependent child 
• 22 The immunisation requirement--prospective claimants and 
• 23 The immunisation requirement--retrospective claimants 
• 24 Sessions of care in respect of which emergency child care assistance 
• 25 Treatment of absences of child from care 

PART 3--LIMITATIONS ON PAYABILITY

• 26 Part sets out limits on payability 
• 27 Assets test 
• 28 Assets test--determining value of assets 
• 29 Assets test--indexation of assets limit 
• 30 Non-temporary cessation of qualification criteria 
• 31 No payment unless proper claim made 
• 32 Nil rate of payment 
• 33 Prospective claims--no payment in respect of periods before or after the 
• 34 Prospective claims--provision of tax file numbers 
• 35 Prospective claims--provision of information required by recipient 
• 36 Retrospective claims--no payment in respect of periods before or after 

PART 4--CLAIMS FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE

• 37 Prospective and retrospective claims 
• 38 Need for a claim 
• 39 Secretary may also treat claim as claim for child care rebate 
• 40 Form of claim 
• 41 Lodgment of claim 
• 42 Claim may be withdrawn 
• 43 Secretary may give notice stating that child must be immunised 
• 44 Secretary may request claimant to give statement of tax file 
• 45 Secretary may request claimant to give statement of partner's tax file 

PART 5--DETERMINATION OF CLAIMS

• 46 Division applies if person makes a prospective claim that is a proper 
• 47 Secretary to determine claim 
• 48 Maximum assistance period 
• 49 Division applies if person makes a retrospective claim that is a proper 
• 50 Secretary to determine claim 
• 51 Maximum assistance period 
• 52 Date of effect etc. of determinations may be dealt with in 

PART 6--RATE OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE

• 53 Rate of child care assistance 

PART 7--PAYMENT OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE

• 54 Payment by instalments 
• 55 Prospective claims payment system 
• 56 Retrospective claims payment system 
• 57 Division deals with payment pursuant to prospective claims 
• 58 Commencement of payment 
• 59 Payment by instalments 
• 60 Payments generally to be made to operator of child care assistance 
• 61 Payment may be made to the person 
• 62 Payment into bank etc. account 
• 63 Where payday would fall on public holiday etc. 
• 64 Payment after death of person 
• 65 Division deals with payment pursuant to retrospective claims 
• 66 Payment in lump sum 
• 67 Payment into bank etc. account 
• 68 Payment after death of person 

PART 8--RECIPIENT OBLIGATIONS

• 69 Part deals with obligations of people paid pursuant to prospective 
• 70 Secretary may give notice stating that child must be immunised 
• 71 Secretary may request person to give statement of tax file 
• 72 Secretary may request person to give statement of partner's tax file 
• 73 Secretary may require notice of the happening of an event or a change of 
• 74 Secretary may require person to give particular information relevant to 
• 75 Secretary may require person to give information relating to entitlement 
• 76 Secretary may require person to give notice of change of address 

PART 1--ENTITLEMENT

• 77 Entitlement to child care rebate 

PART 2--QUALIFICATION

• 78 Qualification for child care rebate 
• 79 Meaning of dependent child 
• 80 The immunisation requirement--prospective claimants and 
• 81 The immunisation requirement--retrospective claimants 
• 82 Treatment of absences of child from care 

PART 3--LIMITATIONS ON PAYABILITY

• 83 Part sets out limits on payability 
• 84 Non-temporary cessation of qualification criteria 
• 85 No payment unless proper claim made 
• 86 Nil rate of payment 
• 87 Prospective claims--no payment in respect of periods before or after the 
• 88 Prospective claims--provision of information required by recipient 
• 89 Retrospective claims--no payment in respect of periods before or after 

PART 4--CLAIMS FOR CHILD CARE REBATE

• 90 Prospective and retrospective claims 
• 91 Need for a claim 
• 92 Secretary may also treat claim as claim for child care 
• 93 Form of claim 
• 94 Lodgment of claim 
• 95 Claim may be withdrawn 
• 96 Secretary may give notice stating that child must be immunised 
• 97 Secretary may request claimant to give statement of tax file 
• 98 Secretary may request claimant to give statement of partner's tax file 

PART 5--DETERMINATION OF CLAIMS

• 99 Division applies if person makes a prospective claim that is a proper 
• 100 Secretary to determine claim 
• 101 Maximum rebate period 
• 102 Division applies if person makes a retrospective claim that is a proper 
• 103 Secretary to determine claim 
• 104 Maximum rebate period 
• 105 Date of effect etc. of determinations may be dealt with in 

PART 6--RATE OF CHILD CARE REBATE

• 106 Rate of child care rebate 

PART 7--PAYMENT OF CHILD CARE REBATE

• 107 Payment by instalments 
• 108 Prospective claims payment system 
• 109 Retrospective claims payment system 
• 110 Division deals with payment pursuant to prospective claims 
• 111 Commencement of payment 
• 112 Payment by instalments 
• 113 Payments to be made to person 
• 114 Payment into person's bank etc. account 
• 115 Where payday would fall on public holiday etc. 
• 116 Payment after death of person 
• 117 Division deals with payment pursuant to retrospective claims 
• 118 Payment in lump sum 
• 119 Payment into bank etc. account 
• 120 Payment after death of person 

PART 8--RECIPIENT OBLIGATIONS

• 121 Part deals with obligations of people paid pursuant to prospective 
• 122 Secretary may give notice stating that child must be immunised 
• 123 Secretary may request person to give statement of tax file 
• 124 Secretary may request person to give statement of partner's tax file 
• 125 Secretary may require notice of the happening of an event or a change 
• 126 Secretary may require person to give particular information relevant to 
• 127 Secretary may require person to give information relating to 
• 128 Secretary may require person to give notice of change of 

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

• 129 Amount paid to person includes amount paid on person's behalf to 
• 130 Special provisions relating to operators of child care assistance 
• 131 Chapter does not apply to emergency child care assistance 

PART 2--AMOUNTS RECOVERABLE UNDER THIS ACT

• 132 Debts due to the Commonwealth 
• 133 Debts arising under this Act 
• 134 Debts arising from AAT stay orders 
• 135 Debts arising from recipient's contravention of this Act 
• 136 Person other than payee obtaining payment of a cheque 
• 137 Debts arising from conviction of person for involvement in 
• 138 Data-matching Program (Assistance and Tax) Act debts 
• 139 Interest payable on debt for failure to enter agreement to pay 
• 140 Interest payable on debt for breach of agreement to pay debt 
• 141 Penalty interest rate 
• 142 Debt from failure to comply with garnishee notice 
• 143 Overseas application of provisions 
• 144 Recoverable debts 

PART 3--METHODS OF RECOVERY

• 145 Deductions generally 
• 146 Deductions from debtor's child care payment 
• 147 Deductions from group payments made to child care assistance 
• 148 Time limits on recovery action under sections 146 and 147 
• 149 Legal proceedings 
• 150 Garnishee notice 
• 151 Time limits on recovery action under section 150 
• 152 Secretary may allow payment of debt by instalments 
• 153 Deductions by consent from child care payment of person who is not a 

PART 4--NON-RECOVERY OF DEBTS

• 154 Meaning of debt 
• 155 Secretary may write off debt 
• 156 Power to waive Commonwealth's right to recover debt 
• 157 Waiver of debt arising from error 
• 158 Waiver of debt relating to an offence 
• 159 Waiver of small debt 
• 160 Waiver in relation to settlements 
• 161 Waiver where debtor or debtor's partner would have been entitled to 
• 162 Waiver in special circumstances 
• 163 Secretary may waive debts of a particular class 
• 164 Determination that penalty interest not payable in relation to 
• 165 Definitions 
• 166 What is emergency child care assistance? 
• 167 Minister may make guidelines 
• 168 Application 
• 169 Consequences of failure to comply with requirement for other 
• 170 Children in respect of whom emergency child care assistance is not 
• 171 Payability and rate of payment of emergency child care 
• 172 Duration of payment of emergency child care assistance 

PART 1--APPROVAL FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PURPOSES

• 173 What is the significance of approval of a child care service? 
• 174 Application 
• 175 Approval of child care services 
• 176 Statement that applicant has tax file number 
• 177 Conditions of approval 
• 178 Allocation of hours condition ceases to apply to centre based long day 
• 179 Consequences of breach of conditions of approval 
• 180 Procedure for imposing a sanction 
• 181 Cancellation 
• 182 Procedure for cancellation 
• 183 Effect of cancellation of approval on child care rebate service 
• 184 Notification of matters affecting eligibility for approval 
• 185 Eligibility rules--centre based long day care services 
• 186 Eligibility rules--family day care services 
• 187 Eligibility rules--occasional care services 
• 188 Eligibility rules--outside school hours care services 
• 189 Exemption from eligibility rules 
• 190 Eligibility rules may deal with who may operate a service and change of 
• 191 Determinations disallowable 
• 192 Purpose of Division 
• 193 Secretary to allocate child care assistance hours 
• 194 Allocation guidelines 
• 195 Notice of allocation 
• 196 Re-allocation of surrendered child care assistance hours 
• 197 Application for new child care assistance hours 
• 198 Determination of application 
• 199 Allocation of new child care assistance hours--1998 and 1999 
• 200 Total number to be divided on regional basis 
• 201 Allocation within a region limited to hours available in region 
• 202 Other factors affecting allocation 
• 203 Allocation of new child care assistance hours 
• 204 Factors affecting allocation of new hours 

PART 2--REGISTRATION FOR CHILD CARE REBATE PURPOSES

• 205 What is the significance of registration of a child care 
• 206 Application 
• 207 Registration of child care services 
• 208 Statement that applicant has tax file number 
• 209 When does registration take effect? 
• 210 Conditions of registration 
• 211 Consequences of breach of conditions of registration 
• 212 Procedure for imposing a sanction 
• 213 Cancellation 
• 214 Procedure for cancellation 
• 215 Notification of matters affecting eligibility for registration 
• 216 Eligibility rules 
• 217 Exemption from eligibility rules 
• 218 Determinations disallowable 

PART 3--REVIEW OF DECISIONS

• 219 Review by the AAT 
• 220 Internal review 

PART 1--INFORMATION GATHERING

• 221 General power to obtain information 
• 222 Power to obtain information from a person who owes a debt to the 
• 223 Power to obtain information about a person who owes a debt to the 
• 224 General provisions about making requirements under sections 221 to 
• 225 Power to obtain information to verify claims etc. 
• 226 General provisions about making requirements under section 225 
• 227 Secretary's obligation in relation to information given under section 
• 228 State/Territory law does not affect obligations to provide information 
• 229 Part does not create offences in relation to emergency child care 

PART 2--CONFIDENTIALITY

• 230 Authorised access to and use of protected information 
• 231 Offence--unauthorised access to protected information 
• 232 Offence--unauthorised use of protected information 
• 233 Protection extends to court, tribunal etc. proceedings 
• 234 Secretary's certificate 
• 235 Guidelines for exercise of Secretary's disclosure power 
• 236 Offence--soliciting disclosure of protected information 
• 237 Offence--untrue representations 
• 238 Offences--offering to supply protected information 
• 239 Officer's oath or declaration 
• 240 Freedom of Information Act not affected 
• 241 Application of the Criminal Code 
• 242 Crown not liable to be prosecuted for offences 
• 243 Conviction of an offence--repayment of child care payment 
• 244 Secretary's certificate 
• 245 Court certificate 
• 246 Proceedings against non-corporations 

PART 1--INTERNAL REVIEW

• 247 Decisions to which Part applies 
• 248 Secretary may review decisions 
• 249 Application for review 
• 250 Secretary or CEO may continue payment pending outcome of application 
• 251 Powers of Secretary, CEO or authorised review officer if application 
• 252 Certain determinations not to be revived 
• 253 Notification of further rights of review 

PART 2--REVIEW BY SOCIAL SECURITY APPEALS TRIBUNAL

• 254 Decisions to which Part applies 
• 255 SSAT objectives 
• 256 Application for review by SSAT 
• 257 Secretary may continue payment pending outcome of application for 
• 258 SSAT review powers 
• 259 Date of effect of SSAT decisions 
• 260 Application requirements 
• 261 Variation of decision before SSAT review completed 
• 262 Parties to SSAT review 

PART 3--RIGHT TO REVIEW BY ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

• 263 Review of SSAT decision by AAT 
• 264 Variation of decision before AAT review completed 
• 265 Review of SSAT decision on application by the Secretary 
• 266 Secretary may settle proceedings before the AAT 

PART 4--MODIFICATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL ACT 1975

• 267 Modification of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 
• 268 Statement of reasons for decision 
• 269 Notice of application for review 
• 270 Parties to review by the AAT 
• 271 Lodging documents with the AAT 
• 272 Power of the AAT to obtain additional statements 
• 273 Operation and implementation of the decision under review 
• 274 Power of the AAT if party fails to appear 

PART 1--GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

• 275 Secretary to have general administration of Act 
• 276 Delegation by Secretary 
• 277 Authorised review officers 
• 278 Decisions to be in writing 
• 279 Notice of decisions under this Act 

PART 2--SPECIAL PROVISIONS ABOUT THE AGENCY

• 280 References to the Secretary and the Department--requirements etc. by 
• 281 References to the Secretary and the Department--directions by 
• 282 Treatment of unincorporated associations 
• 283 Treatment of partnerships 
• 284 Judicial notice to be taken of certain matters 
• 285 Evidence 
• 286 Source of payments 
• 287 Regulations 
• SCHEDULE 1--Calculation of rate of child care assistance
• SCHEDULE 2--Calculation of rate of child care rebate