Turnbull gov latest news on aged pension travel/residing overseas conditions .....

I missed reading an article regarding some new conditions regarding aged pension traveling overseas..... Is there any truth that after six weeks the pension would be cut altogether ?.... Or , in the case of pensioners wanting to live overseas for extended periods of time ?.... This could be desatrous as some of us have aged family members that need care as they are getting very old , frail and alone often enough.... The mounting of the guard for this possible deadly decision is on !.... 

11 comments

This might help you too:

https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/news/the-real-sting-in-pension-cuts

OzFrog, it is true. After six weeks you have to return and suffer more financial difficulty like the rest of us in funding the current government due to their financial ineptness and generally not giving a stuff about the country. Have a happy six weeks - you can run, but you cannot hide.

Fast Eddie and every one else. You only lose the telephone allowance/pharmaceutical, rent assistance portion of your pension.

I totally agree with all the new measures. if you have heaps of assets use them to live on. Welfare/Age Pension are a safety net only.

This subject like many others about the pension, has been done to death on this site.

YOU DO NOT LOSE THE PENSION WHEN YOU TRAVEL OVERSEAS.

What you do lose is the two supplementary payments, if you are away more than 6 weeks.

If you are away longer than 6 weeks, you will just get your base pension rate.  As soon as you return, the supplementary payments are reinstated.

It is clearly stated on the Human Services website.

Read this first before going off half cock.  It causes needless and unnecessay worry for some people.

End of discussion.

 

 

 

You could have just answered the OP's question without the last 3 sentences.

Further your opening sentence is irrelevant as this is a discussion forum.

Your request has been given due and careful consideration but, at this juncture, the possibilities of such a proposal being implemented are considered minimal due to various considerations which have impacted on my decision-making process in a negative manner.

absolutely correct!  

is quite correct in what he says

"Age Pension rate while outside Australia

The amount of Age Pension you can be paid may change at certain points based on how long you have been away and your personal circumstances.

Your rate of Age Pension generally will not change if you travel outside Australia temporarily for less than 6 weeks.

If you are outside Australia for more than 6 weeks you will be paid at an outside Australia rate. Your Pension Supplement will reduce to the basic rate and your Energy Supplement will stop:

after 6 weeks if you are going temporarily on departure from Australia if you are leaving to live in another country

If you are paid Age Pension under an international social security agreement, the agreement rules determine the amount that you are paid while you are outside Australia. If you are paid under an agreement, the rate paid after 26 weeks, detailed below, may apply to you when you leave Australia."

Personally I cannot see why anybody should be receiving Pension or Energy Supplement if you are NOT in Australia.... I feel even 6 weeks is far too generous.... cannot see why somebody living in Greece or elsewhere should be supported by the Australian Taxpayer for these supplements which they are NOT using in Australia.

Most pensioners I know cannot afford to go overseas....they live week to week.  Maybe those on only a small pension will be affected.

Pensioners who have property overseas  suppossedly owned by family members do not deserve to keep their pensions. They should sell assets and live in one country or the other.

This is where dual citizenship sucks, you are either an Australian or you are not. 

Lots of scams go on with pensions...personally know of "hidden" assets.

People have shots at politicians all the time but there are plenty of pensioners who do the wrong thing as well!

Agree Radish, but there's no incentive to do the '''right thing'' in this country. Those who do suffer harsh penalties, abuse and insults. It's appalling how insensitive and lacking in empathy some of the population really is.

Frankly, I'm over this ''be honest and responsible'' thing. I've been screwed too many times and seen the benefits the dishonest enjoy. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  Isn't that the saying? 

What we need is a government that has the integrity and intellect to restore incentives and rewards and stop bashing people who strive.

I can see some logic in not paying supplements to those who travel abroad for 6 weeks or more, but once again it's a discriminatory policy. If you can afford to go abroad for 6 weeks twice a year, no loss. But if you have to go for 4 months to attend to the needs of a sick parent or child living abroad, or if your health requires you to travel by ship rather than plane, ''stuff you, you lose''.

There are genuine reasons why hard-up battlers have to go abroad for more than 6 weeks. And whatever you call the loss, and whatever the government pretends it is supposed to represent, it's part of the income battlers rely on to get by.

People make so many assumptions without considering the possibility that others don't live their lives. Go to other discussions and see, for example, arrogant and rude people bashing anyone who objects to the change in pension assets test, calling them greedy. But if you went without holidays and other luxuries to save for retirement, only to find you are actually worse off than someone who saved $200,000 less, would you think that fair? 

The problem we have in this country is a government that is incapable of creative and innovative solutions to the problem of spiralling debt because it is serving the vested interests of its funders instead of the interests of the nation, and sadly all political parties serve funding masters, though the masters differ for different parties.

Cancelling benefits for pensioners who travel abroad for more than 6 weeks might seem harmless or even fair, but it's cruel to some - depending on personal circumstances. A little empathy and respect wouldn't go astray while clarifying the actual rules. Just stop and think that maybe you don't know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE, and there may be some who suffer unfairly as a result of policies that APPEAR to be reasonable. Maybe if we all stopped ASSUMING and started RESPECTING we could join forces to demand the government do better for seniors overall.

If people in some of the unusual circumstances you mention who wish to spend longer than 6 weeks abroad can produce medical evidence etc. from the country they are going to...then I see your point.

However..those who want to draw the pension and then go abroad and spend it there are not helping our economy...

Just my personal opinion...

Correction: Meant to say "those who draw the pension and wish to live overseas"...I have no problem with holidays..

I personally don't care how people spend their money as long as they are not "ripping" off the taxpayers.

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