Why 6 Week Portability?

[rowdy]

Why 6 Week Portability?

It is as clear as day light why the Government has decided to reduce portability from 13 weeks down to 6.

For some time now many DSP'ers have well adapted to living a sustainable and comfortable lifestyle overseas (particularly in South East Asian countries) on their DSP pension whilst still complying with the current 13 week portability period. The main two reasons for this are 1) the availability of cheap airfares, and 2) the low cost of living in these countries compared to that back in Australia.

The current weapon of choice by Centrelink against DSP'ers is the residency requirements (s.7(3)SSAct). However many of those complying with current portability have still been deemed a resident which would be a sore point for Centrelink. By reducing the 13 weeks to 6 weeks they are effectively crippling the ability of a DSP'er to live a comfortable and sustainable lifestyle overseas. 6 week portability will just make economically unaffordable. Centrelink wont even have to worry about residency.

[zingzingzing]

The reason is the Federal Budget, nothing more nothing else.

I don't get it, cuz they would save more if they gave everyone Unlimited Portability.

[Banjo]

I have a speech attacking the Howard government somewhere by an outraged Wayne Swan, then in opposition, when little Johnny changed the portability period from 26 weeks to 13.
I'll hunt it out.
.....hunt ... hunt.... hunt.....

Wayne Swan makes speech about Overseas DSP
Post by siddhartha on Aug 12, 2010, 12:14pm

Wayne Swan made this speech to the Australian Parliament on Tuesday, 7th of October, 2003. This speech was cut and pasted from the Australian Parliament website.

WAYNE SWAN:

"I now move to the specific provisions of this bill relating to portability. The measure within this legislation that concerns the opposition is the plan to limit the generosity of the portability provisions relating to work force age social security payments. In particular, this bill seeks to reduce the allowable period of temporary overseas absence for portable social security payments from 26 weeks to 13 weeks. This new portability period will also apply to a range of payments, including the disability support pension and family tax benefit. Labor is particularly concerned about the impact of this measure on some of our larger communities that have a heritage overseas. This includes former UK citizens and also the Greek community.

There are good reasons why the portability provisions should be 26 weeks and not 13. Many families who have parents or siblings living overseas are called upon to go to their aid when they get sick or are dying. In some cases this may involve finalising a person's estate. Often there is a need for a person to spend considerable time overseas. There has never been any evidence presented that shows the current rules have been abused. In fact, the net savings the government is claiming for this provision amount to $4.1 million, and I think they confirm the fact that the government also does not believe that the rules have been abused. These are mean changes that will have a direct impact on people who have loved ones in other countries and they are changes which we will be urging Senator Patterson to join with us in rejecting when this bill reaches the Senate."

[Banjo]

Link to the thread.

dspoverseas.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=print&thread=65