Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League responds to the Federal Budget – the initiatives, disappointments and caution of further back flips.
By natasha | May 17, 2010
The Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League, Qld Inc. (APSL) welcomes aspects of the 2010/ 2011 Federal Budget. In particular, the additional $2.2bn health funding which will now represent a total of $7.3bn for necessary medical and hospital reforms as part of the health program. More importantly, we are quite pleased with the encouragement of nurses back into the aged care industry through further investment in attracting them back into the aged care industry.
Raymond Ferguson, APSL Policy Coordinator says “that seniors, particularly superannuants will welcome the tax breaks announced by Treasurer Swan in regards to the 50% tax discount on interest savings.” Tax breaks will apply as of July 1 for bank, credit unions and building society deposits. In addition, low and middle-income earners and older Australians will also be beneficiaries of this reform.
Of particular value for pensioners, seniors and other disadvantaged people will be the savings announced in the budget on medical prescriptions. The APSL welcomes the memorandum of understanding between the Government and Medicines Australia, which require the pharmaceutical manufacturers to advise of the wholesale prices of drugs sold to pharmacies and hospitals. On average, a saving of $2.85 per prescription will be made. For pensioners and seniors whose health demands require them to take 3 to 4 prescriptions on a monthly basis, this is a saving that will cause some comfort.
Whilst the budget attempts to be “no frills? and responsible, in terms of economic management, we express disappointment that no further adjustment to the base rate of pensions has been made. The increases to the base rate of pensions as from March 20 this year, has long since been eroded as a result of rising living costs of basic and essential items. At the moment, pensions are adjusted every six months (March -September), if the government is serious about maintaining “Secure and Sustainable Pensions” then pensions need to be adjusted on a quarterly basis.
An area we are concerned for is the lack of attention paid towards the need for an increase in rental subsidies for those who are still forced on the private rental market for shelter. Currently approximately up to twenty per cent of pensioners are renting in the private rental market. In Queensland over 30% of pensioners are on the waiting lists for public housing, because of rising rents these pensioners are suffering from housing stress and as a result, many more will join the list of homelessness.
In addition we are also disappointed that the budget didn?t take up the recommendations of the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission Report which proposed a “Denticare Scheme?; a plan to provide basic dental health services to not only pensioners and seniors but for other low income and disadvantaged people which over time would have substantially reduced the waiting list of over 600,000 for basic dental care. This scheme was suggested to be free of charge or heavily subsidised with funding for the scheme met by ¾ of a percent increase in the Medicare levy.
The integrity and implementation of this budget will now be tested primarily on the basis that there are no more “Rudd back flips?. Any reversals in thought on the super profit resources tax will certainly see the health reform nosedive along with any prospect of a budget surplus by 2012-2013 .
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NEC Broadband for Seniors Program
By natasha | May 12, 2010
The APSL is now a participant in the training of seniors in the use of computers and in accessing the internet. NEC Broadband for Seniors is a Federal Government funded program to give seniors more opportunities to learn to use computer technology.
The APSL is based at Kurilpa Hall, 174 Boundary Street West End 4101. We have been provided with two NEC computers, desks and a wireless broadband network. We are offering local seniors the opportunity to learn how to use computers at no cost.
Computer Training Sessions
We aim to offer three training sessions per week.
Duration: 2 hours
- Tuesday 10.00am - 12 noon
- Wednesday 10.00am - 12 noon
- Thursday 10.00am - 12 noon
Two seniors can book for each session.
Once the program is under way we will offer more training sessions per week.
Call us today to make a booking
Kristine - 07 3844 5878
Ian - 0417 796 887
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Reverse Mortgage Forum - March 24, 2010
By natasha | February 28, 2010
The APSL will be holding a Forum taking a look at the ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’, when it comes to Reverse Mortgages.
The Forum will be an opportunity particularly for pensioners and seniors in general to hear and learn about real facts concerning the advantages, repercussions, shortcomings and tragedies with Reverse Mortgages.
A forum that will reveal the whole story…
Presented by the Australian Pensioners’ & Superannuants’ League Qld Inc., the Forum will include a panel
of guest speakers including:
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Kevin Conlon – CEO of the Seniors Australian Equity Release Association of Lenders (SEQUAL)
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Donald & Susan Gowans - Seniors First Specialist Finance
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Basil La Brooy -Community Education Officer National Information Centre on Retirement
Investments (NICRI) -
George Hatzis - Hatzis Lawyers and Queensland Law Society
The APSL welcomes members of the public and media to attend this forum that hopes to sort out some of
the key challenges seniors and pensioners are facing with regards to Reverse Mortgages.
When: WEDNESDAY 24TH MARCH
Time: Morning Tea from 9am, Forum 10am - 12.30pmVenue: APSL State Office, 174 Boundary Street, West End 4101
For more information please contact us on (07) 3844 5878.
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HELP NEEDED - Volunteers to train seniors in Computers
By natasha | January 31, 2010
The APSL has been successful in gaining a grant from the Federal Government and NEC Australia for a project called Broadband for Seniors. We have been successful in gaining access to a computer kiosk which will consists of two computer desks, two NEC notebook computers and a wireless broadband network.
To get the project up and running we would like to invite interested APSL members to volunteer as tutors to train seniors in computer use, internet access and email access.
If you are interested, please ring State Secretary Ian Gordon on on 0417 796 887.
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Electricity increases impact on pensioners and low income earners
By natasha | January 9, 2010
The Australian Pensioners’ and Superannuants’ League, Qld Inc. (APSL) have opposed Full Retail Contestability (FRC) of the distribution of electricity since its inception. In the last decade we have seen power consumption rise by 90%, this coincides with a population growth in South East Queensland of around 30% in the similar period. The effect, the government and electricity providers has said is a necessary increase in the cost of power supply.
While recognising these significant changes and the impact of population growth that has impacted on electricity demand, the guarantees and assurances that were given to Queenslanders (particularly those in the South East Corner) that the introduction of privatisation of retail suppliers would not increase the cost of power, but would provide the necessary competition to bring about a reduction in the cost of electricity has been proven to be a myth.
Now, once again consumers and in particular pensioners and other low income people will face a further hike of at least 13.83% as of July 2010.
Since the introduction of private electricity retailers, the cost of electricity over three years in Queensland has increased by over 30% and with the latest announcement consumers will be looking at nearly a 50% increase in the cost of electricity since 2007.
The impact of these significant increases is now having a serious effect within the community and last year the Energy Ombudsman’s report revealed that over 30,000 Queenslanders were disconnected from their source of electricity. This compares with less than 12,000 accounts in New South Wales.
While the APSL appreciates the power rebates that currently apply to pensioners and seniors in general, the impact of these price increases is having a serious effect on low and fixed income people as has been revealed in the numbers that have been disconnected from power.
We call upon the Minister of Mines & Energy, Mr Stephen Robertson and the Bligh Government to extend the current rebate as in some other states to those people who hold a Commonwealth Health Card. Failure to provide assistance to these groups of people is likely to see a further increase in the number of people facing disconnection and further aggravate an already increasing level of poverty in Queensland.
Over the last few days, since the price increase was announced to the public, the APSL has been inundated with phone calls from worried consumers demanding the ‘re-regulation’ and ‘government intervention’ in this out of control energy pricing mechanism.
Raymond Ferguson, APSL Policy Coordinator says that “the APSL will continue in conjunction with other consumer organisations to take whatever action is necessary to bring about a change.
Topics: Lobbying activities | Comments Off
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By admin | August 10, 2009
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