Commonwealth Numbered Acts

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT 1991 No. 46, 1991 - SECT 20

20. (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

"CPC rate" (combined pensioner couple rate) has the meaning given by
subsection (2);

"current figure", as at a particular time and in relation to an amount that is
to be indexed or adjusted under Part 3.16, means:

   (a)  if the amount has not yet been indexed or adjusted under Part 3.16
        before that time - the amount; and

   (b)  if the amount has been indexed or adjusted under Part 3.16 before that
        time - the amount most recently substituted for the amount under Part
        3.16 before that time;

"FA amount" (family allowance amount) has the meaning given by subsection (3);

"index number", in relation to a quarter, means the All Groups Consumer Price
Index number that is the weighted average of the 8 capital cities and is
published by the Australian Statistician in respect of that quarter;

"November earnings average", in relation to a year, means the amount called
the "All Employees - Average Weekly Total Earnings - Persons" published by the
Australian Statistician in respect of a period ending on or before a
particular day in November in that year but does not include a preliminary
estimate of that amount.

(2) For the purposes of this Act, the CPC rate (combined pensioner couple
rate) at a particular time is twice the amount that is, at that time, the
maximum basic rate of age pension payable to a person who has a pensioner
partner. Note: for the maximum basic rate of age pension see point 1064- B1 of
Pension Rate Calculator A in section 1064.

(3) For the purposes of this Act, the FA amount (family allowance amount) at a
particular time is the amount that is, at that time, payable in respect of a
child under item 1 of Table B of the Family Allowance Rate Calculator.
Publication of substituted index numbers

(4) Subject to subsection (5), if at any time (whether before or after the
commencement of this section), the Australian Statistician publishes an index
number for a quarter in substitution for an index number previously published
by the Australian Statistician for that quarter, the publication of the later
index number is to be disregarded for the purposes of this section. Change to
CPI reference base

(5) If at any time (whether before or after the commencement of this section)
the Australian Statistician changes the reference base for the Consumer Price
Index, regard is to be had, for the purposes of applying this section after
the change takes place, only to index numbers published in terms of the new
reference base. Publication of substituted AWE amount

(6) If at any time (whether before or after the commencement of this section)
the Australian Statistician publishes an amount in substitution for a
November earnings average previously published by the Australian Statistician,
for that year, the publication of the later amount is to be disregarded for
the purposes of this section.