NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 141

18 SEPTEMBER 2008

(a) in the case of any assistance, the person’s benefit is reviewed under section 81 of the Act as a result of a change of circumstances or otherwise;

(b) in the case of any assistance granted to a person to whom clause 9 applies, the 13-week period for which his or her temporary additional support was granted ends, whether or not that benefit is re-granted.

14. Expiry—This programme expires with the close of 31 March 2009.

15. Consequential amendment—Clause 2.1 of the Direction in relation to Special Benefit given on 10 February 1999* is amended by inserting in paragraph (f)(i)† of the definition of chargeable income “the Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Programme” after “the care supplement programme”.

Explanatory Note
This note is not part of the programme, but is intended to explain its general effect.

This programme, which comes into effect on 1 October 2008, provides for transitional assistance to ensure that people receiving certain social security benefits, who would be adversely affected by the impact of the reduction in income tax rates or increases in the family tax credit rates that take effect on 1 October 2008, are not affected until their benefits are next reviewed for whatever reason or, in the case of temporary additional support, the period for which the benefit is granted ends, whichever is earlier.

New Zealand Gazette, 16 December 1999, No. 193, page 4599

New Zealand Gazette, 24 February 2005, No. 41, page 1056

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Special Needs Grants Amendment (No. 4) 2008

Pursuant to section 124(1)(d) of the Social Security Act 1964, the Minister for Social Development and Employment makes the following amendment to the Special Needs Grants Programme (as established and approved on 18 December 1998*).

Dated at Wellington this 9th day of September 2008.

HON RUTH DYSON, Minister for Social Development and Employment.

Amendment

1. Title—This amendment is the Special Needs Grants Amendment (No. 4) 2008.

2. Commencement—This amendment comes into effect on 15 September 2008.

3. Programme amended—This amendment amends the Special Needs Grants Programme.

4. Other Emergency Grants—Clause 14 is amended by adding the following clauses:

“14.5 This clause applies where an applicant seeks a grant under clause 14.1—

(a) for the purpose of paying an application fee for a New Zealand birth certificate that is required by the chief executive as supporting evidence under section 11D(2)(b) of the Act; or

(b) for the purpose of paying an application or any other fee for a document of identification that is required by the chief executive as supporting evidence under section 11D(2)(b) of the Act.

14.6 Where clause 14.5 applies, clause 4.1 of the programme applies to clause 14.1 as if it did not include reference to section 76 of the Act.

14.7 The chief executive must not make a grant under clause 14.1 for the purpose set out in clause 14.5(b) unless the applicant’s birth is not registered in New Zealand.”

5. Grants to Farmers, Orchardists, etc.—(1) Clause 18.2 is amended by revoking paragraph (c).

(2) Clause 18.3A is amended by revoking paragraph (c).

(3) The table in clause 18.8 is amended by omitting “75 percent of” in each place it appears.

Explanatory Note
This note is not part of the programme, but is intended to explain its general effect.

This amendment to the Special Needs Grants Programme, which comes into effect on 15 September 2008, allows an applicant to be granted a special needs grant for the purpose of paying the application fee for a New Zealand birth certificate or a document of identification as supporting evidence for an application for a benefit under the Act, before that person is released from prison. A grant for the purpose of paying the application fee for an identification document other than a New Zealand birth certificate is only available where the applicant’s birth is not registered in New Zealand.

This instrument also makes amendments to the Part of the programme that provides for Special Assistance to the Rural Sector. Criteria that a farmer has made a decision to sell their land-based industry at a price the chief executive considers to be realistic, or is in the process of actively evaluating the ongoing viability of the land-based industry before assistance can be granted, are omitted from the programme. The maximum amount of assistance available is also raised from 75 percent to 100 percent of the applicable rate of unemployment benefit and sickness benefit.

New Zealand Gazette, 28 January 1999, No. 8, page 202

†New Zealand Gazette, 29 March 2001, No. 35, page 776

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State Services Commission

Crown Entities Act 2004

Whole of Government Direction Regarding All-Of-Government Shared Authentication Services, Given to Crown Agents by the Minister of State Services and the Minister of Finance

Under Section 107 of the Crown Entities Act 2004

The following direction has come into force under section 109 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Under that section, a whole-of-government direction given under section 107 comes into force 15 sitting days after it is presented to the House of Representatives unless the House resolves, in that period, to disapply the direction.

Direction regarding all-of-government shared authentication services

1. The Minister of State Services and the Minister of Finance, pursuant to section 107 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, direct all Crown agents as follows:

(1) before developing a proposal to invest in or build