In this Act:

agent includes a contractor.

annual report means an annual report relating to the activities of the agency that is required by a provision of the Public Service Act 1999, or by a provision of another Act that establishes the agency.

associated provider has the meaning given by subsection (2).

carer: see section 5.

care supports means policies, programs or services directed to carers or the persons for whom they care.

public service agency means an Agency within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999.

public service care agency means a public service agency that is responsible for the development, implementation, provision or evaluation of care supports.

reporting period means a period of 12 months to which an annual report of the agency relates.

Statement for Australia’s Carers: see section 6.

(2) If a public service care agency enters into a contract or funding arrangement with another person or body (the first entity) for the first entity to develop, implement, provide or evaluate care supports (the funded activities):

Subsection (2) does not apply to a contract or funding arrangement that a public service care agency, or another person or body, enters into with a State or Territory.

(1) For the purpose of this Act, a carer is an individual who provides personal care, support and assistance to another individual who needs it because that other individual:

(2) An individual is not a carer in respect of care, support and assistance he or she provides:

(3) To avoid doubt, an individual is not a carer merely because he or she:

Each public service agency is to take all practicable measures to ensure that its employees and agents have an awareness and understanding of the Statement for Australia’s Carers.

Each public service agency’s internal human resources policies, so far as they may significantly affect an employee’s caring role, are to be developed having due regard to the Statement for Australia’s Carers.

Each public service care agency is to take all practicable measures to ensure that it, and its employees and agents, take action to reflect the principles of the Statement for Australia’s Carers in developing, implementing, providing or evaluating care supports.

Each public service care agency is to consult carers, or bodies that represent carers, when developing or evaluating care supports.

Each public service care agency must prepare a report on its compliance with section 7 and this section in each reporting period. The report must be included in the agency’s annual report for the reporting period.

Subsection (3) applies, in relation to a particular public service care agency, to:

This Act does not create rights or duties that are legally enforceable in judicial or other proceedings.

A failure to comply with this Act does not affect the validity of any decision, and is not a ground for the review or challenge of any decision.

If a public service agency, or an associated provider, is required by another law of the Commonwealth, or by a law of a State or Territory, to consider particular matters, or to comply with particular requirements, in the exercise of its functions or powers, nothing in this Act is to be taken to require the agency, or the associated provider, to act inconsistently with that law.