{"id":"F2022L00333","name":"Industry Research and Development (Small Business Debt Helpline Program) Instrument 2022","slug":"industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":102323,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2022L00333-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name","content":"#### 1 Name\n\n  This instrument is the Industry Research and Development (Small Business Debt Helpline Program) Instrument 2022.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 4 Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\n> ABN has the meaning given by the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999.\n\n> Act means the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\n> program has the meaning given by section 5 of this instrument.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Prescribed program","content":"#### 5 Prescribed program\n\n  (1) For the purposes of subsection 33(1) of the Act, the Small Business Debt Helpline Program (the program) is prescribed.\n  (2) The program provides funding, by way of a grant to Financial Counselling Australia Ltd (ABN 67 073 167 361), to fund:\n    (a) a national small business financial counselling service, delivered by telephone or by way of the internet; and\n    (b) a consultation service for financial counsellors to better enable them to support small businesses, delivered by telephone or by way of the internet.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Specified legislative power","content":"#### 6 Specified legislative power\n\n  (1) For the purposes of subsection 33(3) of the Act, the power of the Parliament to make laws with respect to postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services (within the meaning of paragraph 51(v) of the Constitution) is specified.","sortOrder":4}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original narrow scope. It prescribes exactly one specific program with a single grant recipient and two clearly defined service deliverables. There is no evidence of scope creep; the instrument does precisely what its title suggests and no more."},"complexity_factors":["Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Single operational section (section 5) with straightforward grant mechanism","No nested exceptions or conditional logic","No cross-references to other legislation beyond standard definitions (ABN, Act)","Constitutional basis specified in standalone section with no additional conditions","Total length: 6 short sections, approximately 200 words of substantive content"],"plain_english_summary":"Creates the Small Business Debt Helpline Program, funding Financial Counselling Australia to operate a free national helpline for small businesses and provide specialist backup to financial counsellors helping complex debt cases. \n\nThe measure gives struggling small business owners confidential, no‑cost debt and money advice and strengthens counsellor support, creating a practical national safety net; it’s funded under the Industry Research and Development Act and justified via the Constitution’s communications power because the service uses phone/online channels."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not amend the Act or create new statutory powers; it prescribes a specific program under the existing s33 grant power and identifies the parliamentary telecommunications head of power (s5; s6). The change is limited to authorising funding to a named provider and does not expand the legislative scope of the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow subject matter: prescribes a single program rather than broad regulatory change (s5).","Explicit naming of a single grant recipient with ABN reduces ambiguity about who will receive funds (s5(2)).","Relies on an existing statutory grant power (subsection 33(1) of the Act) for authority (s3).","Specifies a constitutional legislative head of power for communications to support the measure (s6).","Minimal operational detail in the instrument — implementation depends on grant terms and administering agency, increasing reliance on external grant processes (s5).","Creates a direct fiscal commitment (grant funding) rather than new regulatory duties on many private parties (s5(2))."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument prescribes the \"Small Business Debt Helpline Program\" under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 and authorises funding, by way of a grant to Financial Counselling Australia Ltd (ABN 67 073 167 361), to provide national small‑business financial counselling and a consultation service for financial counsellors by telephone or internet (s5). The Commonwealth provides the grant; the funded provider delivers the services and administrative discretion sits with the grant-making arrangements; the instrument also specifies the parliamentary telecommunications power (s6)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022","history":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022/history","analysis":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-small-business-debt-helpline-program-instrument-2022/documents"}}