Post by Banjo on Jan 26, 2011 8:55:51 GMT 7
I've just written to Michael Abbott QC, possibly South Australia's best know lawyer.
He has an interest in Asian art and just been awarded the Order of Australia for donating a lot of it to the local art gallery along with plenty of his cash.
Who knows he may be able to spend a little of his time helping us out.
Dear Mr Abbott,
Allow me to congratulate you on your recent award of the Order ofAustralia.
I represent a small group of Disability Support Pension Recipients who are unable to understand why the Australian Government thinks it is so important to restrict their freedom of movement to Australia.
We are currently allowed to travel overseas for 13 weeks at a time, with no restriction on how many times a year we can do this.
There is currently a bill before the Senate, the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010, which will put a stop to what has been described as “a flagrant breach of the spirit of the Social Security Act.
We have been attacked in the press:
Welfare loophole allows disability pensioners to go on permanent vacation.
A LOOPHOLE in welfare laws has been allowing hundreds of disability support pensioners to use their pensions to travel overseas most of the year and keep second homes in popular South-East Asian holiday destinations.
The jet-setting lives of 776 disability support pensioners were discovered by a joint Centrelink and Department of Immigration investigation, which found many were taking up to nine overseas trips a year.
www.couriermail.com.au/money/welfare-loophole-allows-disability-pensioners-to-go-on-permanent-vacation/story-e6freqoo-1225846381856
I’d like to send you some of our Senate submissions on this matter which hopefully will explain the plight many of us find us in.
In closing, let me explain that we are all ineligible for reassessment and retraining for the workforce, most of us within a couple of years of the Old age Pension and can see no earthly reason why our movements should be restricted.
The argument that it will save money is laughable, if we’re forced to live in Australia we will start claiming all the allowances we are entitled to, upwards of three thousand dollars a year in things like rent allowance. We pay for most of our own medical and pharmaceutical needs at the moment.
The Australian economy currently enjoys an input of over a billion dollars a year in overseas pensions but the Government begrudges some of the 360 million dollars in pensions that leave.
Can you help us or advise us? The bill goes before the Senate next month and will almost certainly pass. Mr. Abbott, this is wrong, an attack on Australian citizens based on lies. It will cost the Aussie taxpayer, not save money.
If you wish to reply an email will reach me sooner.
Waynesom@mail.com
And our message board carries a number of individual stories.
dspoverseas.proboards.com/index.cgi
Best wishes,[/b]
He has an interest in Asian art and just been awarded the Order of Australia for donating a lot of it to the local art gallery along with plenty of his cash.
Who knows he may be able to spend a little of his time helping us out.
Dear Mr Abbott,
Allow me to congratulate you on your recent award of the Order ofAustralia.
I represent a small group of Disability Support Pension Recipients who are unable to understand why the Australian Government thinks it is so important to restrict their freedom of movement to Australia.
We are currently allowed to travel overseas for 13 weeks at a time, with no restriction on how many times a year we can do this.
There is currently a bill before the Senate, the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010, which will put a stop to what has been described as “a flagrant breach of the spirit of the Social Security Act.
We have been attacked in the press:
Welfare loophole allows disability pensioners to go on permanent vacation.
A LOOPHOLE in welfare laws has been allowing hundreds of disability support pensioners to use their pensions to travel overseas most of the year and keep second homes in popular South-East Asian holiday destinations.
The jet-setting lives of 776 disability support pensioners were discovered by a joint Centrelink and Department of Immigration investigation, which found many were taking up to nine overseas trips a year.
www.couriermail.com.au/money/welfare-loophole-allows-disability-pensioners-to-go-on-permanent-vacation/story-e6freqoo-1225846381856
I’d like to send you some of our Senate submissions on this matter which hopefully will explain the plight many of us find us in.
In closing, let me explain that we are all ineligible for reassessment and retraining for the workforce, most of us within a couple of years of the Old age Pension and can see no earthly reason why our movements should be restricted.
The argument that it will save money is laughable, if we’re forced to live in Australia we will start claiming all the allowances we are entitled to, upwards of three thousand dollars a year in things like rent allowance. We pay for most of our own medical and pharmaceutical needs at the moment.
The Australian economy currently enjoys an input of over a billion dollars a year in overseas pensions but the Government begrudges some of the 360 million dollars in pensions that leave.
Can you help us or advise us? The bill goes before the Senate next month and will almost certainly pass. Mr. Abbott, this is wrong, an attack on Australian citizens based on lies. It will cost the Aussie taxpayer, not save money.
If you wish to reply an email will reach me sooner.
Waynesom@mail.com
And our message board carries a number of individual stories.
dspoverseas.proboards.com/index.cgi
Best wishes,[/b]