Pursuant to section 124 (1) (d) of the Social Security Act 1964, the Minister of Social Services and Employment establishes and approves the following Amendment to the Special Needs Grants Programme (as established and approved on 18 December 1998).
Dated at Wellington this 27th day of September 2001.
RUTH DYSON, Minister of Social Services and Employment.
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A m e n d m e n t
1. Title-(1) This Amendment is the Special Needs Grants Amendment (No. 3) 2001.
(2) In this Amendment, the Special Needs Grants Programme is called "the programme".
2. Commencement-This Amendment comes into effect on 1 October 2001.
3. Applicants applying for a residence permit in
New Zealand who have lost the financial support of their partners-(1) Clause 15B.1 (b) of the programme is amended by:
(a) inserting in subparagraph (i), after the word "lodged", the words " or intended to lodge":
(b) omitting from subparagraph (i) the word "; or", and substituting the word "; and":
(c) revoking subparagraphs (ii) and (iii).
(2) Clause 15B.3 of the programme is amended by revoking paragraph (d).
4. Benefit non-entitlement periods and stand downs, etc.-(1) Clause 17.1.1 of the programme is amended by inserting, immediately before paragraph (b), the following paragraph:
"(a) he or she is subject to a Stand Down; or"
(2) Clause 17.1.2 of the programme is revoked.
(3) Clause 17.3.1 (b) of the programme is amended by revoking subparagraph (i).
(4) Clause 17.3.2 of the programme is revoked.
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Explanatory Note:
This note is not part of the Amendment, but is intended to explain its general effect.
This Amendment to the Special Needs Grants Programme, under section 124 (1) (d) of the Social Security Act 1964, continues indefinitely the availability of special needs grants to certain people who are not New Zealand residents and who have lost the support of their partners because of the partner's domestic violence, and extends eligibility on that ground to persons who married or entered into a relationship in the nature of marriage after they came to New Zealand.
It also makes amendments to clause 17 of the programme that are consequential on Part 3 of the Social Security Amendment Act 2001. Beneficiaries who are sanctioned with a non-entitlement period for a third failure to comply with a work test obligation may participate in a
re-compliance programme and are eligible immediately for
a conditional benefit, making the availability of a special needs grant unnecessary. The amendments remove the provisions that reference a non-entitlement period.
In addition, clause 17.1.1 (a) was removed in error in its entirety by a previous amendment to the programme. This Amendment reinstates eligibility to be considered for a special needs grant for a person whose spouse is not entitled to a benefit because of a benefit stand down.
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