Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 7—Income and welfare 261
as job search, Work for the Dole, literacy and
numeracy courses, part-time education, part-time
work or voluntary work. The purpose of the
requirement that young people undertake
approved activities in order to receive YA is to
help improve a young person’s prospects of
obtaining employment.
Young people under 18 who have not completed
Year 12 or equivalent are encouraged to be in
full-time education or training. Exemptions are
made for those who are unable to obtain an
appropriate training place, have carer
responsibilities, are sick, or are in other special
circumstances.
Austudy
From 1 July 1998, the Austudy payment replaced
the AUSTUDY living allowance. It is paid to
students over 25 years of age whose financial
circumstances are such that without financial
help, full time study would not be possible. The
Austudy payment retains most of the features of
the old AUSTUDY.
To be eligible for Austudy a person must be doing
an approved full time course at an approved
institution. People who are 25 or over are
considered independent, and are not subject to a
parental means test. The activity test
requirements for Austudy are the same that
applied under the old AUSTUDY. A person is
considered to meet the activity test under
Austudy if they are engaged in approved full-time
study and are undertaking a full-time or
concessional study load.
Mature Age Allowance (MAA)
The MAA is a non-activity tested income support
payment. This payment recognises the
labour market difficulties faced by some older
unemployed people who are close to
retirement age.
To qualify for MAA from 1 July 1996, a person
must have turned 60 years of age and be less than
Age Pension age; have no recent work force
experience (defined as at least 20 hours a week
for a total of 13 weeks or more in the previous
12 months); and be an Australian resident and
currently residing in Australia. An eligible person
must also satisfy one of the following:
be receiving Newstart Allowance and have
been on an income support payment for a
continuous period of at least nine months
immediately before claiming MAA;
have received at least one payment of a Social
Security pension, Widow Allowance, Partner
Allowance, Sickness Allowance, Department of
Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) service pension,
Austudy payment or Parenting Payment (other
than non-benefit Parenting Payment
(partnered)) at any time within the 13 weeks
immediately before claiming; or
have previously received MAA.
Until 1 July 1995, Mature Age Partner Allowance
was paid to partners of MAA recipients. This
payment is gradually being phased out, with no
new grants since that date.
Since 1 July 1996, MAA has been paid under
allowance income and assets test conditions
rather than under pension income and
assets tests.
MAA recipients are eligible to receive a Pensioner
Concession Card.
Partner Allowance (PA)
Since 1 July 1995 the payment has only been
granted to persons born on or before 1 July 1955,
who have no dependent children and no recent
workforce experience. It is payable to people with
partners in receipt of Newstart Allowance, Special
Benefit, Age Pension, Disability Support Pension,
Disability Wage Supplement, Mature Age
Allowance or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs
service pension. Partners who do not qualify for
PA may qualify for another income support
payment in their own right, such as Parenting
Payment or Newstart Allowance.
PA is a non-activity tested payment subject to
allowance income and assets tests.
Widow Allowance (WA)
WA is a non-activity tested income support
payment. It recognises the labour market
difficulties faced by single older women who may
have previously depended on the support of their
partner.
WA is available to women over 50 years of age
who were widowed, divorced or separated
(including separated de facto) after the age of 40.
To qualify for WA, an older woman must have no
recent workforce experience (defined as at least
20 hours a week for a total of 13 weeks or more
in the previous 12 months); currently be in
Australia; and not be subject to an assurance of
support.