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Post by scuzzy on Jul 16, 2012 9:03:46 GMT 7
I'd say that there is virtually no chance of Australia getting an agreement with "third" world countries, meaning much of Asia, Africa and South America. They seem to stick to countries with a similar cost of living/minimum wage. Interestingly, I noticed that the only 'Third World' agreement country is Chile. Hang on a minute,....didn't a lot of the Nazi's escape to Chile under the 'Odessa' program?! I guess that's why Chile gets Das Gestapo's tick of approval (or swastika of approval perhaps) ;D
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Post by peter on Jul 17, 2012 9:07:08 GMT 7
Concerning the Philippines and Australia agreeing to a mutual Social Security Agreement, this issue came up in 2008. Jenny Macklin in her ministerial capacity stated " the proposed agreement was probable saying the Philippine and Australian social security systems are compatible and the agreement was likely to be mutually beneficial". That was in 2008. It still gets some occasional attention as its a good grandstanding topic. Grandstanding is a word that originates from the Philippines, from the Luneta Grandstand where the politicians used to enjoy standing in the grandstand, inflating their egos with specious populist sloganeering. Australian politicians also know this technique well. I do not think they learned it from the Filipinos who simply gave the technique a name. I must however that Australian politicians tell less untruths than the Filipino politicians but they are on the same racetrack. Corruption wise, they are way behind. As far as being "mutually beneficial" goes, that is very misleading as this is one Ageement that would cost the Australian Government far far more than would come out of the Philippine Social Security System. Just an example of Australian political grandstanding. As to the reason why they have these Agreements as the foundation for payment of Australian social security overseas its simply a cost reduction measure, but if one wishes to grandstand about it one could say that it was an "equalisation measure" which would be nice to grandstand about but would be misleading. The area where fairness and equity has been forgotten in all this grandstanding, is the matter of the OAP. where it does not matter how much tax one has paid or how long one worked in Australia, one has to return to Australia to make a claim if one is living in the 170 countries of the world which do not have Social Security Agreements with Australia. But do not worry about fairness, when Grandstanding can be the substitute.
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Post by Banjo on Jul 17, 2012 10:46:58 GMT 7
Indeed, if you have been working overseas prior to turning 65 you have to remain in Australia for 2 years before your pension has portability.
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