120,000 families to be paid $600 per child bonus

The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced details of the administrative scheme being established to ensure that eligible families who did not automatically receive their $600 per child bonus payment in June would be paid their entitlement.

Legislation passed by the Parliament in May meant that around 2 million families received their one off $600 per child bonus automatically in June. The legislation also provided for an administrative scheme to ensure all other families would receive their bonus as soon as possible.

Senator Patterson said “the legal framework outlining details of the administrative scheme would be gazetted today.”

“Around 120,000 more families will be paid the one-off $600 per child bonus payment,” Senator Patterson said.

The eligibility for this scheme includes families:

• with new babies not previously claimed for, including families whose babies were born after 11 May;
• who are new claimants and have chosen to receive their FTB Part A entitlement for 2003-04 as a lump sum;
• who have a partial year FTB Part A entitlement;
• receiving ABSTUDY for a 16 to 17 year old dependent child; and
• receiving Veterans’ Children’s Education Scheme payments for a 16 to 17 year old dependent child.

Payments for eligible families receiving FTB will be made after people put in their tax return from 26 July 2004.

For children receiving ABSTUDY, payment will be made automatically from late July. Arrangements for children receiving Veterans’ Children’s Education Scheme payments are currently being finalised and the bonus will be paid as soon as possible.

“As the payment is intended to benefit the child, where a parent or carer has already received a payment of $600, any other parent or carer will not be eligible for a further $600 per child payment,” Senator Patterson said.