More people could now be eligible for Statutory Act of Grace Payments following the release of a NSW Treasury Circular expanding the criteria for the special payments.
In a statement, Treasury said an act of grace payment was a special payment made to address issues arising from the operations of Government, where the Government was not otherwise legally required to make a payment.
In TC22-01 Statutory Act of Grace Payments, Chief Financial and Operations Officer of NSW Treasury, Stewart Walters said that Ministers, or Ministers’ delegates, had the power to make an act of grace payment under the Government Sector Finance Act 2018 (GSF Act).
Mr Walters said the list of special circumstances in which one of the payments could be made now included a person, or persons, who had suffered financial or other detriment as a result of significant natural, health or other disasters requiring an emergency Government response.
No other additions were made to the list however with Mr Walters saying the change was intended for guidance only and was not exhaustive.
The Circular, which supersedes TC21-02 Statutory Act of Grace Payments, also expanded the disclosure and reporting requirements for the payments to include requirements for high-volume payment programs.
Mr Walters said the written internal register of such payments should include the name of the Statutory Act of Grace program; the commencement and end date of payments; the aggregate value of payments distributed through the program; the total number of recipients; the Minister or the name, position and financial delegation of the Minister’s delegate who approved the program; and a description of the program, including a comprehensive list of circumstances that would qualify people to the program.
He said that for the high-volume payment programs, the GSF Agency should also retain detailed information of each payment recipient; each payment amount and date of payment; and any terms or conditions imposed as a part of making the Statutory Act of Grace Payment.
Treasury’s four-page TC22-01 Statutory Act of Grace Payments can be accessed at this PS News link.
