5Authorisation of payments for approved counselling services

5 Authorisation of payments for approved counselling services

5 Authorisation of payments for approved counselling services

(1) A limit imposed by this clause—

(a) on the period that payments for approved counselling services may be authorised for a person, or

(b) on the amount of payments for approved counselling services that may be authorised for a person,

is a limit that applies to each act of violence or act of modern slavery committed in respect of the person.

(2) For the purposes of section 32 of the Act, the Commissioner may authorise payments for approved counselling services for a victim (other than a family victim or relevant family member)—

(a) for a period of up to 22 hours of counselling (including counselling for the purposes of an application for continued counselling), and

(b) for further periods of counselling if the Commissioner considers it appropriate.

(3) The Commissioner may consider a person to be a victim referred to in subclause (2), for the purposes of authorising payments for an initial period of 2 hours of counselling for the person, if satisfied that counselling may assist in establishing whether or not the person is a victim.

(4) The Commissioner must not authorise payments for more than a total of 22 hours of counselling services for a victim described in subclause (2) within Australia unless satisfied that there are exceptional reasons for doing so.

(5) If counselling services are provided for a victim outside of Australia, the Commissioner must not authorise payments for those counselling services for more than a total of 22 hours or a maximum of $5,500, whichever is the lesser.

(6) The Commissioner may, if the Commissioner considers it appropriate, authorise the provision of approved counselling services to a relevant family member.

(7) The Commissioner may authorise payments for approved counselling services within Australia for a victim who is a family victim or relevant family member—

(a) for a period of up to 22 hours of counselling, and

(b) for a further period of counselling if requested by the family victim or relevant family member.