Emails to Gov Depts

[Banker]

From my experience email sent to gov Dept don't usually get looked at or answered as they can not be used as a legal Document.

Send by Fax is a different matter and you should get a response. This also applies to contacting your local member.

This applies to Gov world wide not just Australia.

I Hope I'm not out of line by putting this here, If it needs to be moved please do so.

Cheers

[richoz]

Banker,

No, good point

. From my experience, if your email is ignored, then a formal complaint to the Ombudsman whether state/federal including the original correspondence, will get a swift response indeed.

[Banjo]

Just sent this off to Bill Shorten, will give it a couple of days then try faxing it.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services
The Hon. Bill Shorten MP.

Dear Mr Shorten,
I am concerned about the projected changes to the Social Security Act expected next year.
My particular area of concern is the limitations placed on Disability Support Pensioners travelling overseas.

I fail to see how restricting the movements of an Australian citizen can benefit the economy, you stop them staying overseas and they come back to Australia and start clocking up rent allowance and bulk billing doctors. That's an expense, not a saving.

As the changes to the Act will effect my life, and a number of other people, in a major way, I would be most appreciative if you could give me some forewarning of the planned changes,

1) How many trips a year will DSP recipients be allowed?
2) What will the maximum trip length be?
3) Will there be a minimum time in Australia included in the changes?
4) If so how long will it be?

Some of your fellow parliamentarians seem to be of the opinion that a computer generated reply to emails, promising later action (with none forthcoming) is sufficient reply to emails. I hope you have more respect for the people of Australia than that.

Regards,

[Banjo]

To be honest I can't see Rudd losing, mainly in the absence of a viable, united opposition.
There would be absolutely no reason for a new government to cancel any changes, Liberal party compassion for the disabled has been notably absent in the past.
We should consider ourselves lucky if we don't lose the $60+ rise Rudd gave us, or have to pay back the bonus.
Seriously, this type of thing has little to do with politics, Centrelink would just give a list of changes they want to the minister and it would be rubber stamped in parliament.

[Banjo]

Don't know. I cashed in a couple of super policies when I went on the pension, including the government one.
Never had a quibble, I was under the impression that if you were permanently disabled you could take out what had been paid into them.

[adelaidekid]

I have sent quite a few emails to International Services and have had a reply to a couple. They always say that email isn't a secure way of sending information and for security reasons they won't answer any questions etc.
In the disclaimer at the bottom it states that the email may contain confidential information. I have pointed out to them the contradiction in terms and that the information is hardly a threat to national security but it doesn't phase them at all.

[Banjo]

Good to see you here.
I've found logic to be generally wasted on Centrelink, it's their way or the highway.