Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

to reduce immediate hardship and deprivation by ensuring that the whole or part of certain welfare payments is directed to meeting the priority needs of:

the recipient of the welfare payment; and

the recipient’s children (if any); and

the recipient’s partner (if any); and

any other dependants of the recipient;

to ensure that recipients of certain welfare payments are given support in budgeting to meet priority needs;

to reduce the amount of certain welfare payments available to be spent on alcoholic beverages, gambling, tobacco products and pornographic material;

to reduce the likelihood that recipients of welfare payments will be subject to harassment and abuse in relation to their welfare payments;

to encourage socially responsible behaviour, including in relation to the care and education of children;

to improve the level of protection afforded to welfare recipients and their families.