Date published:
Audience:
Health sector
On 14 October 2024, the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), established by the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 (ART Act), replaced the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
The Hearing Services Program (Voucher) Instrument 2019 (Voucher Instrument) has been updated to reflect this change (subsections 13(1), 13(5), 19(1), 43(2)).
Other minor amendments made through the Hearing Services Program (Voucher) Amendment (Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Matters) Instrument 2024, registered on the Federal Register of Legislation include:
- Replacing ‘Dependents’ with ‘Spouses or de facto partners’ to clarify the meaning of eligible dependents. (section 7)
- Removing reference to the Disability Services Act 1993 (WA), which no longer has any operational effect. (Section 8)
- Updating terminology to reflect the changed names of the Veteran Gold Card and Veteran White Card. (subsections 9(a) and 9(b))
- Removing reference to the Disability Services Act 1986, which is no longer in force. The associated impacts to program eligibility were accommodated by an earlier amendment to the Hearing Services Administration Act 1997. (section 10)
- Clarifying provider obligations to give the same information to potential voucher‑holders, whether a person enquires about services or devices in person or online. This is consistent with the Schedule of Service Items and Fees 2024-25. (subsection 25(1))
- Updating website locations of program materials available online. (section 28, subsection 50(1)(note))
Providers are requested to note the above amendments and update any published or printed materials to reflect the recently renamed Veteran Gold Card and Veteran White Card as applicable.