Commonwealth act

Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946

In ForceCTH

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

81 of 1946

Collection

act

Compilation

Plain English Summary

3/10 complexity

This amendment inserts a new head of power into section 51 of the Constitution so the Commonwealth Parliament can make laws providing maternity allowances, widows’ pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not authorising civil conscription), student benefits and family allowances. It shifts authority to the federal Parliament to create and fund those programs and places a specific legal limit on compulsory use of medical practitioners.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946.

Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946

CONSTITUTION ALTERATION (SOCIAL SERVICES).

No. 81 of 1946.

An Act to alter the Constitution by empowering the Parliament to make Laws for the Provision of Maternity Allowances, Widows’ Pensions, Child Endowment, Unemployment, Pharmaceutical, Sickness and Hospital Benefits, Medical and Dental Services, Benefits to Students and Family Allowances.

[Assented to 19th December, 1946.]

Preamble.

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, with the approval of the electors, as required by the Constitution, as follows:—

Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946.

Social services.

Section fifty-one of the Constitution is altered by inserting after paragraph (xxiii.) the following paragraph:—

“(xxiiia.) The provision of maternity allowances, widows’ pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorize any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances:”.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

title: Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946 identifier: C1946A00081 jurisdiction: commonwealth type: act status: in_force source: "https://www.legislation.gov.au/C1946A00081/asmade/1946-12-19/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html"