Green Army Programme 001-02130000

When a participant commenced in Green Army their income support payments were affected in the following way:

• Participants aged between 17-24 had their income support payment suspended
• Participants aged 25 years and over had their income support payment cancelled
• Income support payment concession card was cancelled

Certain customers could participate in Green Army as a part-time participant and choose not to receive the Green Army allowance. In these circumstances, they remained on income support and were eligible for the Approved Program of Work Supplement (APWS).

Full-time participants were paid the Green Army allowance. A customer could not receive Green Army allowance and income support concurrently.

Full-time participants had their income support payment suspended or cancelled and did not receive the APWS.

ABSTUDY and Green Army participants

ABSTUDY customers who received Green Army allowance were not eligible for Living Allowance but may have qualified for other allowances under the ABSTUDY Scheme.

Part-time participants had the option of remaining on income support, or receiving the Green Army allowance. A customer could not receive Green Army allowance and income support concurrently.

Part-time participants who elected to receive the Green Army allowance had their income support suspended, and the associated concession card for that payment was also cancelled. They were not entitled to the Approved Program of Work Supplement (APWS).

Approved Program of Work Supplement (APWS)

Part-time participants who elected to remain on income support may have been eligible to receive the Approved Program of Work Supplement (APWS) of $20.80 per fortnight in addition to income support and associated entitlements.

Partner of Green Army participant

Green Army allowance was assessed as ongoing 'other income' on the partner's record. If the customer is partnered, zero-off the affecting Green Army allowance as at the programme end date, on either OGP or OINS screen.

If a suspended participant advises:

• within 14 calendar days of completing/exiting the programme:
• confirm the actual end date of participation, and update via the Referral workflow if necessary
• restore income support payment on the Benefit Action (BA) screen from the programme completion/exit date
• update the Job Plan for Centrelink managed job seekers
• reconnect the customer with their Employment Services Provider, if required
• depending on payment type, concession entitlements for the customer will recommence from the date of payment restoration and a new card will automatically be issued
• outside 14 calendar days but within 28 calendar days of completion/exit date of programme:
• confirm the actual end date of participation, and update via the Referral workflow if necessary
• restore income support payment on the Benefit Action (BA) screen from the date the customer has advised of the change
• update the Job Plan for the Centrelink managed job seekers
• reconnect the customer with their Employment Services Provider
• advise customer of decision and notification requirements
• depending on payment type, concession entitlements for the customer may recommence from the date of payment restoration and a new card will automatically be issued
• outside 28 calendar days of the Green Army completion/exit date, income support payment will automatically cancel. The customer will be required to reclaim income support payment

If the customer is partnered, zero-off the affecting Green Army allowance as at the completion/exit date, on either the OGP or OINS screen

Cancelled participants reclaiming payment

Former part-time Green Army participants whose income support payment has been cancelled will need to reapply for income support once they have completed/exited the Green Army Programme. Current rules for determining start date of payment should be used. That is, looking at the date of claim lodgement and not the date of completion/exit of the Green Army Programme for backdating purposes.

Abridged claims

Where applicable, an abridged new claim process should be applied to customers re-claiming the same payment. Customers are only eligible for an abridged claim where they have not experienced significant changes in their or their partner’s circumstances since last contacting Services Australia, including a change in relationship status or a change in partner.

Services Australia completes a monthly Green Army reconciliation. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry provides the Green Army Reconciliation Team with a monthly reconciliation report detailing a Green Army participant's:

• Customer Reference Number
• start date in the programme
• end date in the programme
• Green Army service provider
• full-time or part-time status
• Green Army allowance received fortnightly

This information is used by the Green Army Reconciliation Team to reconcile placement within customer records and create debts where required. The Referrals workflow is used to record or amend Green Army placements.

The Green Army Reconciliation Team process any debt activities (or arrears) generated from coding Green Army placements.