Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 342

Repayment of amounts due to be deferred, suspended, reduced or cancelled

Section 342 allows an authorised officer of the Minister to defer, suspend, reduce or cancel the repayment of overpaid social welfare payments in prescribed circumstances.

• Where a person is required to repay an overpayment of benefit, assistance, child benefit, carer's support grant, working family payment, continued payment for qualified children, back to work family dividend, or a supplementary welfare allowance payment, the repayment may be adjusted.
• An officer of the Minister, specifically authorised for this purpose, has the power to defer, suspend, reduce or cancel the repayment.
• This power is subject to conditions and circumstances that are set out in regulations, and is also subject to section 342A.
• This provision applies notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere in the Act, giving it overriding effect in relation to repayment obligations.