Submissions

SCOA makes submissions to Government, and to Senate and other relevant inquiries, to advocate on behalf of members.

You can read or download SCOA’s submissions in the table below.

What	Date of submission Click to read
Letter to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten regarding dividend imputation credits	19 March 2018	Letter to Bill Shorten re dividend imputation refund
2018-19 pre-Budget submission	30 November 2017 (lodged 2 January 2018)	2018 19 Pre Budget Submission
Senate Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into the Treasury Laws Amendment (Improving Accountability and Member Outcomes in Superannuation Measures No. 1) Bill 2017 and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Strengthening Trustee Arrangements) Bill 2017	27 September 2017	SCOA’s submission to the inquiry into the Strengthening Trustee Arrangements Bill 2017
Senate Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into the Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Consumers First – Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority) Bill 2017	27 September 2017	SCOA’s submission to Senate inquiry into the Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Bill 2017
Senate Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into the Treasury Laws Amendment (Improving Accountability and Member Outcomes in Superannuation Measures) Bill 2017	27 September 2017	SCOA’s submission into Senate inquiry into Improving Accountability and Member Outcomes in Superannuation Measures No. 2 Bill
Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee inquiry into digital delivery of government services	27 September 2017	Submission into Senate inquiry into digital delivery of government services
Submission into inquiry into an integrated care at home program	23 August 2017	Submission to inquiry into an integrated care at home program
Committee report on the legislation to remove the energy supplement	21 August 2017	Social Services Legislation Amendment (Ending Carbon Tax Compensation) Bill 2017 [Provisions]
Submission to Senate Standing Community Affairs Committee	6 July 2017	Community Affairs Committee re removal of energy supplement
Letter to Minister Alan Tudge	14 March 2017	Letter to Minister Alan Tudge re Centrelink phone numbers
Letter to Minister Christian Porter	16 January 2017	Letter to Minister Christian Porter re ten percent cap
2017/18 pre-Budget submission	6 January 2017	2017/18 Pre Budget submission
Submission to inquiry into Treasury Laws Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Superannuation) Bill 2016, and Superannuation (Excess Transfer Balance Tax) Imposition Bill 2016	17 November 2016	Submission to Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Letter to Minister Christian Porter	18 October 2016	Letter to Minister Christian Porter re indexation, the ten percent cap and other issues
Submission on proposed superannuation reform, tranche two	10 October 2016	Submission on the proposed superannuation reform package, tranche two
Submission to Budget Repair Bill 2016	27 September 2016	Submission to Budget Repair Bill 2016
Letter to Kelly O’Dwyer, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services regarding the treatment of defined benefit pensions	27 September 2016	Hon Kelly O’Dwyer regarding defined benefit pensions
Submission to the Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016	7 September 2016	Submission-to-budget-savings-omnibus-bill-2016
Letter to Treasurer Scott Morrison regarding the Age Pension income test deeming rates	16 August 2016	Treasurer Scott Morrison re deeming rates
Letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull re the ten percent cap issue	10 August 2016	20160810 Prime Minister re ten percent cap issue
Letter to Senator Zed Sesejla	19 July 2016 Letter congratulating Senator Zed Seselja on his appointment as the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multucultural Affairs; seeking a meeting to discuss a number of relevant issues	20160719 Congratulations Zed Seselja
Letter to newly re-elected MP, Mike Kelly	18 July 2016 Letter congratulating Mike Kelly on his re-election to Parliament, requesting a meeting to discuss a number of relevant issues	20160718 Mike Kelly congratulations
Letter to select politicians	30 May 2016 Letter requesting that the taper rate for the Age Pension be re-set to the previous level	20160530 Letter to politicians re taper rate
Letter to Peter Hendy MP	23 March 2016 Letter to Dr Peter Hendy, MP following meeting regarding the effects of the 10% issue	Attached with the letter was a short paper recapping the background, providing the spread of superannuation income across the commonwealth civilian and the military schemes, and two sample ‘grandfathering’ models
2016-17 pre-Budget submission	6 January 2016 2016-17 pre-Budget submission	The key messages that SCOA wishes to be reflected in the budget outcomes for 2016-17 are a government that has committed itself to: maintaining the purchasing power of retirement incomes to keep pace with increases in the real cost of living; indexation which retains the value of Commonwealth superannuation pensions; equitable tax treatment. No discrimination against people according to the source of their pension; equity in assessing income. Those on similar incomes should be able to access the same benefits.
Letter to Minister for Social Services Christian Porter	21 October 2015	Letter to Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter, regarding changes to the cap on the amount of a defined benefit income assessed as part of the income test for the Age Pension
Submission to Taxation Review June 2015	9 June 2015 Submission to the Review of Australia’s Taxation System, June 2015	SCOA’s recommendations include: Increase taxation of superannuation funds in the accumulation phase; Provide adequate compensation for any increase in the GST; Retain franking credits; Treat “untaxed” defined benefit superannuation funds as a separate head of taxation; Implement taxation of the earnings of superannuation funds, other than “untaxed” defined benefit funds, in the pension phase; Waive stamp duty for purchases of low value dwellings by those of age pension age; and Introduce a tax offset of 10% for the interest on pensioner savings accounts.
2015/16 pre-Budget submission	8 January 2015 2015/16 pre-Budget submission	2015/16 pre-Budget submission. SCOA’s 2015/16 pre-Budget submission’s recommendations include: Fair indexation of Commonwealth superannuation pensions; Changes to the taxation of superannuation pensions to remove discrimination against public sector pension recipients; Increase in and continuing indexation of the income thresholds for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC); Lowering the single-person Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare safety nets to 65% of the family safety nets.
Submission to Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into Budget Measures Bill No. 2 July 2014	28 July 2014 Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into Budget Measures Bill No. 2, July 2014	SCOA’s submission expresses SCOA’s support for some Budget measures, e.g. the establishment of a Future Fund for Medical Research, and opposes other proposed measures including the change to the method of indexing the Age Pension and the Parental Leave Scheme.
Letter to Minister for Health regarding NDIS	28 April 2014 Letter to Minister for Health16 June 2014 Response from Assistant Minister for Social Services, Mitch Fifield Response from Assistant Minister for Social Services	SCOA’s objection to over 65 year olds not having access to the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), however they are required to contribute to the scheme via the additional 0.5% Medicare levy from 1 July 2014.
Letter to Minister for Finance and Deregulation	24 April 2014 – Letter to Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance and Deregulation 2 October 2014 Response from Minister Cormann Response from Minister Cormann	SCOA’s objection to the proposed “watering down” of the financial services (adviser) regulations, aka Future of Financial Advice (FoFA).
Letter to Minister for Health re Medicare copayment	11 April 2014 – Letter to the Hon Peter Dutton, Minister for Health 9 September 2014 Response from the Department of Health Response from the Department of Health	SCOA’s objection to the proposed $6 Medicare co-payment.
Letter to Minister for Human Services	10 April 2014 – Letter to the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Human Services 4 August 2014 Response from Minister Marise Payne	The News for Seniors published by Centrelink. It had not been published since July 2013 and SCOA asked the Minister if it will be published again soon.
2014/15 Pre-Budget Submission 2014/15 Pre-Budget Submission Cover Letter	31 January 2014 – 2014/15 Pre-Budget Submission	In addition to changes to the indexation and taxation of Commonwealth superannuation pensions, SCOA is making recommendations regarding the income thresholds for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC); changes to the PBS and Medicare safety net limits; the provisions of the Disability Care Australia; an extension of the Medicare benefits to cover dental benefits; concessions for hearing tests for holders of the CSHC; the ability of older retirees to contribute to their super without having to satisfy a work test; and the retention of access to the Net Medical Expenses Tax Offset for people over 65 years of age.
2013 Pre-election submission cover letter 2013 Pre-election submission	27 May 2013 – 2013 Pre-election submission and cover letter	SCOA’s recommendations focus on Fair indexation of Commonwealth superannuation pensions to maintain the purchasing power and keep pace with increases in the real cost of living; The removal of discrimination against recipients of public service pensions in relation to Centrelink pensions/benefits and taxation; and Simplification of the tax system including equitable tax treatment and equity in the assessment of non-superannuation income.
2013/14 Pre-Budget Submission	29 January 2013 – 2013/14 pre-Budget submission	SCOA’s recommendations focus on the subjects of the indexation and taxation of Commonwealth superannuation pensions; a simplification of the tax system and the income test taper rate for the Age Pension.