{"id":"F2017L00763","name":"Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Instrument 2017","slug":"f2017l00763","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439221,"registerId":"F2017L00763-fast-fetch-1775955324349","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Instrument 2017","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nAustralian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Instrument 2017\n\nThe Repatriation Commission prepares the following instrument.\n\nDated  8 June 2017\n\nThe Seal of the\n\nRepatriation Commission\n\nwas affixed to this instrument in the\n\npresence of:\n\n| Simon Lewis | Craig Orme | Major General Mark Kelly |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| President | DSC AM CSC | AO DSC |\n|  | Deputy President | Commissioner |\n\n\nApproved on 23 June 2017\n\nDan Tehan\n\nMinister for Veterans’ Affairs\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Schedule 1—Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\n5 Schedule 2—Repeals\n\nSchedule 1—Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\nRepatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\nSchedule 2—Repeals\n\nRepatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests) 2006\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Instrument 2017.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument 1 July 2017. 1 July 2017\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 18 of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006.\n\n4  Schedule 1—Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\n  The Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is modified as set out in Schedule 1 to this instrument for the purposes of the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006.\n\n5  Schedule 2—Repeals\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in Schedule 2 to this instrument is repealed as set out in the applicable item in that Schedule, and any other item in that Schedule has effect according to its terms.\n\nSchedule 1—Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\n \n\nRepatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme\n\n1  Sections 1A to 2\n\nOmit the sections, substitute:\n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Scheme.\n\n2  Authorisation of Scheme\n\n  The Scheme is authorised by section 18 of the Act.\n\n2A  Purpose of Scheme\n\n  The Scheme enables Community Pharmacists to supply Pharmaceutical benefits to Eligible Persons.\n\n2B  Transitional provision\n\n  If:\n\n (a) a thing was started under the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests) 2006 (No. R45/2013) before 1 July 2017; and\n\n (b) immediately before that day, the thing has not been finished;\n\nthen, the thing may be finished under this Scheme on or after that day as if it had been started under this Scheme.\n\n2  Section 3 (definition of Act)\n\nOmit the definition, substitute:\n\nAct means the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006;\n\n3  Section 3 (definition of accepted disability)\n\nOmit the definition.\n\n4  Section 3 (definition of Eligible Person)\n\nOmit the definition, substitute:\n\nEligible Person means an eligible person within the meaning of the Act;\n\n5  Section 3\n\nOmit the following definitions:\n\n (a) definition of income support payment”;\n\n (b) definition of income support payment under the Social Security Act 1991;\n\n (c) definition of MRCA supplement;\n\n (d) definition of pension supplement;\n\n (e) definition of pharmaceutical allowance;\n\n (f) definition of pharmaceutical reimbursement.\n\n6  Section 3 (definition of Repatriation Health Card ‑ For All Conditions)\n\nOmit the definition, substitute:\n\nRepatriation Health Card ‑ For All Conditions means an identification card, or written authorisation, provided to an Eligible Person in relation to treatment for all injuries or diseases;\n\n7  Section 3\n\nOmit the following definitions:\n\n (a) definition of Repatriation Health Card ‑ For Specific Conditions;\n\n (b) definition of Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card;\n\n (c) definition of revoked scheme;\n\n (d) definition of RPBS.\n\n8  Section 3 (definition of Scheme)\n\nOmit the definition, substitute:\n\nScheme means the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme as modified by the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Instrument 2017;\n\n9  Section 3\n\nOmit the following definitions:\n\n (a) definition of social security pension supplement;\n\n (b) definition of SRCA disability.\n\n10  Section 3 (definition of Treatment Principles)\n\nOmit the definition, substitute:\n\nTreatment Principles means the Treatment Principles as modified by the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) (Modifications of the Treatment Principles) Instrument 2013;\n\n11  Section 3\n\nOmit the following definitions:\n\n (a) definition of veterans supplement;\n\n (b) definition of war widow/war widower pension;\n\n (c) definition of war‑caused or defence‑caused injuries or diseases.\n\n12  Section 16 (note)\n\nOmit “the RPBS” (wherever occurring), substitute “the Scheme”.\n\n13  Subsection 16A(9)\n\nOmit “the Act”, substitute “the National Health Act 1953”.\n\n14  Section 17\n\nOmit “RPBS listed”, substitute “RPBS Schedule listed”.\n\n15  Paragraph 18(a)\n\nOmit “, a Repatriation Health Card ‑ For Specific Conditions or a Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card,”.\n\n16  Paragraph 18(b)\n\nOmit “ , a Repatriation Health Card ‑ For Specific Conditions or a Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card,”.\n\n17  Section 21 (note 1)\n\nOmit “Note 1”, substitute “Note”.\n\n18  Section 21 (note 2)\n\nOmit the note.\n\n19  Section 23 (heading)\n\nOmit the heading, substitute:\n\n23  Expenses incurred in obtaining Pharmaceutical Benefits while not in receipt of a pharmaceutical supplement\n\n20  Subsection 23(1)\n\nOmit “allowance under paragraph 118A(1)(c) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986”, substitute “supplement under section 23B of the Act”.\n\n21  Paragraph 23(1)(a)\n\nOmit “allowance”, substitute “supplement”.\n\n22  Paragraph 23(1)(b)\n\nOmit “and after 30 June 1992”.\n\n23  Paragraph 23(1)(c)\n\nOmit “allowance”, substitute “supplement”.\n\n24  Subsection 23(1)\n\nOmit “of pharmaceutical allowance”, substitute “of pharmaceutical supplement”.\n\n25  Subsection 23(1)\n\nOmit “of the allowance”, substitute “of the supplement”.\n\n26  Part 5A\n\nOmit the Part.\n\nSchedule 2—Repeals\n\n \n\nRepatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests) 2006\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument narrows and tailors the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to operate under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006 (Authority: item 3). It replaces multiple definitions so that 'Eligible Person' is defined by the Act and simplifies entitlement cards to a single 'Repatriation Health Card ‑ For All Conditions' (Schedule 1 items 4, 6, 7). It adds a purpose clause permitting Community Pharmacists to supply benefits (Schedule 1 item 2A) and a transitional rule for unfinished matters started under the 2006 instrument (Schedule 1 item 2B). Payment/entitlement references are reworded to link to the Act's supplement provisions (Schedule 1 items 19–25), indicating cost/eligibility will be determined under the Act rather than the repealed instrument. The Repatriation Commission made the instrument under s.18 of the Act and the Minister approved it (instrument header and item 3). Administrative effects include changed identity/verification processes and reliance on the Act and National Health Act references (Schedule 1 item 13), which may alter compliance and decision‑making frameworks for administrators and community pharmacists."},"complexity_factors":["Primarily technical: wholesale substitution and removal of definitions in section 3 (Schedule 1 items 2–11) — low interpretative complexity but many cross‑references to update.","Introduction of an explicit purpose enabling Community Pharmacists to supply benefits (Schedule 1 item 2A) — clear operational effect.","Transitional provision permitting completion of matters started under the 2006 instrument (Schedule 1 item 2B) — administrative continuity risk.","Changes to reference law: substitution from 'the Act' to 'the National Health Act 1953' in subsection 16A(9) (Schedule 1 item 13) — legal reference shift that may affect compliance/legal tests.","Amendments to expense/supplement wording (Schedule 1 items 19–25) tie entitlement language to section 23B of the Act — affects who is treated as receiving supplements for eligibility.","Full repeal of the 2006 instrument (Schedule 2) — governance and archival simplicity, but requires administrators to follow the new text exclusively."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument updates the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to apply specifically for people covered by the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006. It authorises the Scheme, says community pharmacists may supply pharmaceutical benefits to Eligible Persons, provides a transition rule for unfinished matters started under the 2006 instrument, and repeals that earlier instrument. It mainly realigns definitions, references and payment‑related wording so the Scheme operates under the 2006 Act."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains the original scope of providing pharmaceutical benefits to nuclear test participants and BCOF members. While it updates definitions and removes obsolete references, it does not expand eligibility or add new categories of beneficiaries. The modifications are technical and consolidatory rather than expansive."},"complexity_factors":["Heavy reliance on cross-references to other instruments and Acts (Treatment Principles Instrument 2013, National Health Act 1953, Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006)","26 specific amendment items requiring readers to mentally reconstruct the modified text","Numerous defined terms being omitted and substituted, requiring tracking of legislative history","Transitional provision with conditional logic (section 2B) — 'if a thing was started... and not finished... then may be finished...'","Assumes knowledge of the underlying Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme structure which is not reproduced in full"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument modernises and simplifies access to subsidised prescription medicines for Australians exposed to radiation in British nuclear tests and members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. It replaces the 2006 scheme, updates terminology to current veterans’ law, removes obsolete benefit references and multiple health‑card types, and preserves continuity for applications started under the old rules. \n\nIt’s housekeeping to reduce red tape while ensuring vulnerable, radiation‑affected veterans keep affordable pharmaceutical entitlements."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/f2017l00763","history":"/api/acts/f2017l00763/history","analysis":"/api/acts/f2017l00763/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/f2017l00763/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/f2017l00763/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/f2017l00763/documents"}}