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Thursday, 13 December 1973

The Government believes that social security is the right of all Australians. It is neither a form of charity nor a form of privilege. The Government has substantially raised the level of social security payments, but it does not believe that social security is provided by cash benefits alone. Its legislative program in its first year of office has brought new benefits and opportunities to a wide range of Australians in need. The Government is determined that Australia will once again lead the world in the provision of advanced and enlightened social security programs.

Increases in Pensions and Benefits

On the second day of the first session of Parliament a Bill was introduced providing for increases in all pensions and unemployment and sickness benefits ranging from $1.50 a week to $14 a week. Payment of pension increases was made retrospectively from the first pay day after the election. The Budget provided for a further increase of $1.50 a week in all pensions and unemployment, sickness and special benefits. The standard pension rate is now $23 a week.

Abolition of the Means Test

The first step towards the abolition of the means test was made in the Budget with the abolition on age pensions for all people aged 75 or more. The means test will be abolished during the life of this Parliament.

Common Benefit Rate

All pensions and unemployment and sickness benefits are now paid at a common benefit rate - $23 a week standard rate and $40.50 a week married rate. In this way the Government has removed several serious penalising anomalies; there is now the same rate of unemployment benefit for young persons as for adults.

Linking Pensions to Average Earnings

The Government has provided for pension and benefit rates to be automatically adjusted twice a year until they reach 25 per cent of average weekly earnings. Thereafter there will be regular automatic increases to retain this relationship to ensure adequacy of pension and benefit rates in relation to changing standards of living in the community.

Benefits for Student Children Over 16 Years

The denial of benefit for full time students over 16 years was an injustice practised by the previous Government. The new Government moved quickly to abolish this anomaly. Payment is now made to all student dependents of unemployment and sickness beneficiaries similar to those for dependent children of pensioners.

Additional Pension for Students

Payment of additional pension for full time students, together with mother's or guardian's allowance if applicable, will now continue without regard to the child's age until either eligibility for pension ceases or until the child's studies cease.

Discrimination Against Widows Removed

The Government has removed the longstanding discrimination against class B and C widows who were deemed eligible for widow's pension but paid less than a class A widow. All widow pensioners now receive a common rate of $23 (with additional amounts for mothers).

Supporting Mother's Benefit

The Government has introduced a completely new benefit, the supporting mother's benefit, to be paid to unmarried mothers, including deserted de facto wives and de facto wives of prisoners, married women not living with their husbands, and wives who have been separated for other reasons, provided they have the custody, care and control of their children. A woman receiving supporting mother's benefit may continue to receive the benefit outside Australia and is eligible to participate in the national rehabilitation service and the training scheme for widow pensioners.

Investigation of a Family Allowance

The Department of Social Security is investigating the possibility of paying a family allowance to all mothers. The Minister's view is that a woman must be given a free choice to work or to stay at home with her family. This must be a freely available right, not a situation forced on her through economic necessity.

Portable Pensions Legislation

Age, invalid, wives' and widows' pensions are now available to Australian pensioners who wish to live in any other country. Portability of pensions is now provided without any requirement for reciprocal arrangements with other countries. This ended the previous Government's cumbersome, slow-moving and inadequate process for providing pension portability. While this will benefit mainly aged, invalid and widowed migrants who wish to return to their former homelands, either permanently or temporarily, it will apply equally to all pensioners. It will thus in future be possible for pensioners to visit, or live with, their children or relatives who have settled or are working overseas.

Australian Social Welfare Commission

The Social Welfare Commission was announced in April and formally established by legislation. It will make recommendations to the Government on the development of social welfare in Australia. It is headed by Mrs Marie Coleman, who was formerly Director of the Victorian Council of Social Service. Through the establishment of this Commission, the community will know the Government's goals and will participate in determining those goals.

The Australian Assistance Plan

The Social Welfare Commission is examining an Australian Assistance Plan to provide for cost-sharing with local authorities and voluntary agencies over a wider range of welfare services in each locality. The Commission has been allocated S 1.75m for a program of careful evaluation of the Assistance Plan concept before recommending on the final legislative form of the Plan. The Commission will establish and control the experimental phase of the Plan and consult with the community so that the concepts of the Plan are understood. The Commission has indicated that the final program could cost in the order of $30m a year. The range of services which may be covered by the proposed expenditure is wide, and the anticipated preventive value will be great if viewed in the light of the cost of providing such services as children's homes and deserted wives pensions.

Widening of Terms of Reference of the Poverty Inquiry

The Poverty Inquiry established last year under Professor Henderson has had its terms of reference widened to give greater scope for a comprehensive and far-reaching report into poverty in Australia. Four more experts have been added to the Inquiry.

Working Party on Homeless Men

A working party has made recommendations to the Government on the care of the homeless. The report deals with employment, social security benefits, assessment centres, health services, laws and ordinances, capital assistance, maintenance subsidies and Aborigines.

The Health Plan

The Health Insurance Planning Committee was formed soon after the December election and released its report in April. The report gave detailed recommendations on the timing and method of implementing the Government's proposed new universal health plan. The plan will be operated by an Australian Health Insurance Commission. The establishment of this Commission has been approved by the

Government and, to help achieve the target date of 1 July 1974 for the commencement of the plan, an interim Health Insurance Commission has been established.

National Superannuation

In March, a National Superannuation Committee of Inquiry was established under the chairmanship of Professor Hancock, to recommend a national superannuation scheme for people who retire on grounds of age. It will look at questions such as voluntary early or deferred retirement and payments for invalidity, unemployment and sickness.

National Compensation Inquiry

The Government has appointed a committee of inquiry into rehabilitation and compensation consisting of Mr Justice Woodhouse and Mr Justice Meares. The secretariat for this Inquiry has been formed by the Attorney-General's Department.

Revision of Subsidised Health Benefits Limits

Eligibility limits for low income families receiving subsidised health benefits were revised after the national wage case decision. The basic eligibility limit was lifted by S9 to $60.60 and the graduations between the basic figure and the 2 other eligibility categories have been widened.

This means that families with gross weekly incomes of $60.50 or less will not have to pay health insurance fund contributions. Families with weekly gross incomes of $65 or less will pay one-third of the normal contributions and families with gross weekly incomes of $69.50 or less will pay two-thirds of the normal contributions. This complicated system of assisting low income families with health insurance will be replaced by simpler and more effective arrangements under the new universal Health Insurance Plan next year.

Rehabilitation Allowance

The Budget increased the full-time training allowance by $4 to $8 for people receiving the rehabilitation allowance and those taking part in the training scheme for widow pensioners. The allowance remains at $4 for those undertaking part-time courses. The living away from home allowance under both schemes was also increased to $16 a week for a married trainee or one with dependent children or students; and to $10 a week for an unmarried trainee.

Orphan's Pension

The Budget provided for an orphan's pension of $10 a week. This pension is paid to the guardian of a child both of whose parents are dead or one of whose parents is dead and the whereabouts of the other unknown. This removes an area of human neglect that should not have been allowed to continue.

Disability Requirement Abolished

The Government has removed a requirement that persons suffering from physical or mental disability must have reasonable prospects of engaging in a suitable vocation within 3 years after commencing rehabilitation treatment or training. This action was intended to meet the needs of a small number of disabled people who, because of the severity of their disabilities, or their need for specialised training, are unable to return to suitable employment within 3 years and consequently, do not qualify for acceptance at present.

Greater use 'is now being made of tertiary training at universities and colleges of advanced education as a means of giving handicapped people vocational or professional skill that will ensure for them a suitable and satisfying career. Some of these courses are of 3 or more years' duration and it is not unusual for training to be preceded by a period of treatment in a rehabilitation centre.

Sheltered Employment

Government legislation has enabled local governing bodies to use borrowed money to attract subsidy for sheltered workshops and residential accommodation for handicapped people working in sheltered workshops or elsewhere. The Handicapped Children's Bill is designed to serve the same purpose in relation to training centres, training equipment and residential units for handicapped children.

Hostel Care for the Aged

The Government has increased from $10 to $12 a week the rate of subsidy paid to eligible organisations which provide personal care services for the aged in hostel accommodation. The subsidy can now be paid in respect of residents under 80 years of age who require personal care services, in addition to all residents aged 80 years or more.

Meals on Wheels Subsidy

The Government has increased the basic rate of subsidy paid to 'meals-on-wheels' ser vices from 15c to 20c a meal, lt has also increased the subsidy from 20c to 25c for all meals served with an approved Vitamin C supplement. This increased subsidy will become payable from 1 January 1974 and apply to meals delivered since 1 January 1973.

Home Care Program

The Government has made more money available for the present home care program for elderly people. It has increased the Government's grants to the States from $l:lm to $2:lm of State expenditure on housekeeper and home help services and senior citizens centres, and raised the subsidy for welfare officers employed in senior citizens centres from onehalf to two-thirds of their salary.

Agreements with Other Countries

The Australian Government has invited 13 countries to begin negotiations on reciprocal agreements to cover a comprehensive range of social security payments.

Mr Bourchier - Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. I am sorry to interrupt this but I wonder whether the Prime Minister could address the Chair and face this way so that we can hear him.

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