Commonwealth Numbered Acts

SOCIAL SECURITY AND REPATRIATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 1985 No. 95, 1985 - SECT 19

19. Section 12 of the Principal Act is repealed and the following sections are
substituted: Grants to new child care centres

"12. (1) Where, during the period of 6 weeks immediately before a child care
centre that is operated by an eligible organizaton for the purpose of
establishing the proposed child care centre, the Minister may, in the
discretion of the Minister, on behalf of the Commonwealth, make a grant to the
organization of an amount not exceeding the amount of the salary or wages paid
to the person in respect of that period by the organization.

"(2) The Minister may, in the discretion of the Minister, authorize the
payment to an eligible organization of an advance or advances in respect of a
grant that may become payable to the organization under sub-section (1).

"(3) In this section 'salary or wages' in relation to a person referred to in
sub-section (1), means salary or wages at the rate fixed by an award, order,
determination or agreement made, or having effect under, a law of the
Commonwealth, of a State or of a Territory, or if no such rate is applicable,
the rate of salary or wages determined by the Minister. Grants in respect of
fee relief

"12A. (1) The Minister may, at any time, by writing signed by the Minister -

   (a)  specify guidelines to be observed -

        (i)    in identifying children receiving child care at a child care
               centre
operated by an eligible organization as children in economic
need; and

        (ii)   in calculating the maximum amount payable under this section
in relation to a particular period of time to an eligible
organization in respect of a child care centre;

   (b)  vary guidelines specified by the Minister under this sub-section
(including guidelines varied by virtue of a previous application or
previous applications of this paragraph); and

   (c)  revoke guidelines specified by the Minister under this sub-section
(including guidelines varied by virtue of a previous application or
previous applications of paragraph (b)).

"(2) Where a child care centre operated by an eligible organization provides
child care to a child who is, or to a number of children each of whom is, in
accordance with guidelines specified under sub-section (1), identified as a
child in economic need, the Minister may, in the discretion of the Minister,
on behalf of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of enabling the eligible
organization to allow fee relief in respect of that child or those children,
make, in relation to a particular period of time, a grant of money to the
eligible organization in respect of that child care centre not exceeding the
amount ascertained in accordance with guidelines specified under sub-section
(1) as the maximum amount payable to the eligible organization in respect of
child care provided to that child, or to those children, by that child care
centre in relation to that period of time.".