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Budget relief for Pensioners
By natasha | May 12, 2009
The Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League, Qld Inc. (APSL) welcomes the commitment by the Federal Government to follow through on their commitment to improve the situation of pensioners.
The pension has been in the past completely inadequate and now pensioners are a major beneficiary of the Federal Budget for 2009/2010.
For almost two years; through lobbying, forums, protests, letters, meetings and begging we have been calling on the Government to show some compassion to pensioners and urgently increase the level of the pension. Some of our calls have been answered.
Raymond Ferguson, APSL Policy Coordinator says “that pensioners, particularly single pensioners will welcome the increase in the base pension rate as announced by Treasurer Swan. The $32.49 increase for single pensioners in particular lifts them to approx two-thirds of the age pension base rate. From this position the APSL is appreciative that our claim for single pensioners of receiving two-thirds of the combined pension rate has been met. This will help the lives of pensioners who are struggling to meet the growing expenses of living.”
“We express our bitter disappointment though that the combined pension rate remains inadequate
even with the increase ($10.14) announced in the budget. This is a frustration as the formula of 25% of the AMTWE of single and combined pension rates has not increased to the 35% rate which was the demand of seniors’ organisations in general.”
“In the Government’s failure to make an improvement to this rate, the increases announced will only be a band-aid remedy and will not sustain adequate income for pensioners and seniors in general for the future” said Ferguson.
“We are opposed to the qualifying age for the aged pension being increased to 67 years of age. We feel this could have been avoided if the government gave some consideration to increasing the current pension bonus scheme for those who remained at work for another 2 to 3 years after reaching pension age. In doing this it would encourage prospective aged pensioners to remain at work.”
Adjustments to the marginal tax rate of 40% seemed to be another casualty of this budget. The APSL had hoped that an adjustment to the rate that pensioners are subjected to concerning a modest income above the current threshold, which is $138 per fortnight for a single and $240 per couple, would be reduced.
“The APSL will continue its activities in support of the ongoing Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition campaign to have the pension base rate adjusted to no less than 35% of the AMTWE and a reduction of the marginal tax rate of 40%.”
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Topics: Lobbying activities |
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