SCOA Australia On 10 August 2017, the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs released its report into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Ending Carbon Tax Compensation) Bill 2017 (Provisions). The Senate Committee decided to recommend that this Bill be passed, even though most of the submissions to the inquiry (including SCOA’s) had recommended otherwise. Click here to … Read more
Centrelink has published a Guide to Australian Government Payments valid from 1 July to 19 September 2017. You can access the publication by clicking on this link. The publication, as well as more details about any of the benefits avilable through Centrelink, go to www.humanservices.gov.au . SCOA Australia Canberra 2 August 2017
Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, has published the 2017 Age Pension Guide. The Guide covers topics including: A comprehensive introduction to the age pension; Information regarding how overseas travel affects age pension payments; eligibility and how assets, investments and income testing may affect age pension payment Information regarding the pension age; and Benefits for … Read more
The June edition of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation’s Third Act, Freedom In Retirement, Newsletter is now available. Click here to read the newsletter Canberra, 10 July 2017.
SCOA Australia today lodged its submission to the Senate Standing Community Affairs Committee regarding the proposed removal of the energy supplement. SCOA Australia is opposed to this legislation. Click here to read the submission. Canberra 6 July 2017
Welcome to SCOA Australia Incorporated, the new national body replacing the former incorporated branches of the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers’ Association and their governing body, Federal Council. SCOA Australia has about 8,000 members across Australia and is managed by a National Committee and National Office located in Canberra. In launching SCOA as a national organisation, President … Read more
SCOA Australia’s President, Dr Annette Barbetti, today commented on the recent federal Budget, welcoming the reinstatement of the Pensioner Concession Card and the one-off Energy Assistance Payment of $75 to single Age Pensioners and $125 for couples, adding that “this payment will no doubt prove to be only a small fraction of the increase in … Read more
On 16 February 2017, SCOA wrote to the Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, regarding the “ten percent issue”. We received a response from the Department of Social Services which said that the government has no intention of changing or repealing the relevant legislation. Federal Council Federal President, Annette Barbetti, has again written to the … Read more
SCOA has written to Minister for Human Services, Alan Tudge, regarding the difficulty in calling the Department of Human Services, in particular Centrelink. Which number is the right one? Click here to read Annette Barbetti’s letter to the Minister. Canberra 14 March 2017
An Answer to a Question on Notice from ACT Senator Katy Gallagher in November 2016, regarding the ten percent cap on the amount of a defined benefit pension that can be excluded from the age pension income test, has been provided by the Department of Social Services. SCOA believes the Answer leaves a lot to … Read more