Thread: Australian Centrelink payment changes for Expats

Payments paid while outside Australia


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Changes to your payment if you leave Australia
Pension payment rates while absent from Australia
Outside Australia, your payment has stopped and you can't return to Australia as planned
Returning to Australia
Studying outside Australia
Temporary Protection Visas

From 1 January 2013, rules about getting payments while outside Australia will change.

Changes to your payment if you leave Australia

If you are leaving Australia before 1 January 2013, the current rules will apply to your payment. Refer to your payment below to see how these changes may affect your payment.

To get your payment while outside Australia you must continue to meet the qualification rules for that payment. You will also have to tell us about any changes in your circumstances while you're away.

The information on this page provides a guide only. There are other circumstances which may also affect your payments while outside Australia.

Contact us if you're planning to leave Australia so that we can let you know how your payments will be affected.


Thank you Julia!

FUCKING ARSEOLES!!!!! work all your life to enjoy your fucking retirement..who the fuck are they to tell ya where you can live..fucking arseloes!!!

And as of 2017 if you were born after jan 1 1957 you can't claim the pension until your 67.

There is no harm in protesting against governments, whether Australian or not regarding receipt of pensions, benefits etc:

Governments themselves will not alter their policies (many of which are unfair) unless they have a good deal of opposition from the public. They wish to get re-elected (god help us all) and robbing pension funds by defering state pension qualification age or discriminating against those who wish to reside abroad during their retirement really is no way to go about things

They are mostly relying on the young not to kick up too much of a fuss and so most likely it'll be the over 50's who see their future retirement plans disappearing having worked for most of their lives.

Punishing the elderly for government incompetence in being unable to operate budgets within boundaries is pretty low and some might say that's being too kind to politicians.

Savings don't really need to be made, it's democratic reform that is required.

Politicians are the biggest money wasters yet they still wish deprive the good people of their country an improved lifestyle. It is they who need to be harshly dealt with not the public.

If the public and that's means all of us fail to display our displeasure to our local government official and further then things will stay the same.

I can't recall viewing any protests in Oz recently similar to that of the europeans which maybe doesn't surprises me as an ozzie friend gives me the impression that the gestapo are now running the country

They are a bunch of arseholes, but lucky for me (I think) it appears my situation will not change, but feel sorry for others who will be forced to alter their retirement plans.

Changes to residency and portability requirements for Australian Government payments – Parliament of Australia

Budget Review 2012–13 Index

Peter Yeend

Change to residency requirements

Background

The Government announced a tightening of the Australian working life residency (AWLR) requirements for persons to be paid an income support payment while resident overseas in the 2012–13 Budget.[1]

Australian working life residency—strengthening requirements

Normally, to qualify for an Age Pension (AP) or a Disability Support Pension (DSP) in Australia a person must have been resident in Australia for at least 10 years. Thereafter, only some Australian income support payments are payable when a person leaves Australia to reside overseas. These are the AP, Wife Pension (WP), Widow B Pension (WidB) and some DSP recipients.

As at June 2010, there were 71 360 income support recipients residing overseas permanently. The majority (79 per cent) reside in European countries. Of those resident overseas, 62 148 (87 per cent) were receiving AP, 7572 were receiving the DSP, 575 receiving WidB and 969 receiving WP.[2] Annual expenditure as at June 2010 on Australia’s pension payments paid to people living overseas was $571.3 million and at the same time, pensions from overseas countries being paid to people residing in Australia totalled $1.2 billion.[3]

Currently, for a person resident overseas, to be paid the maximum rate of AP they would otherwise be paid if resident in Australia, they require 25 years AWLR. Recipients with less than 25 years of AWLR are paid a proportional rate based on the duration of their working life residence in Australia. For example, if a person has 16 years of working life residence, they can receive 16/25th of the rate otherwise payable when a resident in Australia. Most overseas contributory based pension systems pay their minimum overseas rate after about 15 years and their maximum rate of pension after about 40 years of contribution.

From May 1973, a pension granted in Australia could be paid in any country in which the person lived. The initial AWLR rules for AP were introduced from 1 July 1986. From 1986 to 2004, different payments had different rules as to how long they could be paid where a person was overseas. From 1988, payment of the Sole Parent Pension, where a person was overseas, was limited to 12 months and the Wife Pension, Widow B Pension and Disability Support Pension also had limited payment periods in some cases from 1991. Originally, Carer Payment was not portable for any period from 1987 but now has limited portability.[4] The Howard Government standardised the payment overseas rules for the different payments in 2004 and also provided a reduced payment period during a temporary absence overseas. Generally, payment was reduced from 26 weeks down to 13 weeks from 1 July 2004.[5]

Budget proposal

The Budget proposal is to extend the current 25 years AWLR requirement, to attract a full-rate of payment otherwise payable in Australia, out to 35 years of AWLR.[6] This is to apply from 1 January 2014 to persons who, having exceeded their 26 weeks temporary absence period, are resident overseas. Additionally, the AWRL rule is to be applied separately to a partnered pensioner. Currently, a partnered pensioner (WP) can rely on the primary pensioner’s AWLR to set their rate. This latter requirement will not involve many recipients — as at June 2010 there were only 24 655 Wife Pension recipients[7] and, of these, only 969 were resident overseas.[8]

The Budget proposal estimates savings of $50.8 million over four years.[9]

Comment

The increase in the AWLR rules from 25 to 35 years will see increased numbers of people resident overseas paid lesser amounts of pension. This is where the estimated savings will be realised. A person’s AWRL is fixed by the number of years they have been resident in Australia — this not an element a person can readily change. Changing the year requirement from 25 to 35 years will adversely affect those with an AWLR of between 26 to 34 years.

Changes to portability rules

Background

The Budget also proposed a reduction in the period a person can receive an Australian income support payment while temporarily overseas: from 13 weeks down to six weeks.[10] Portability allows most income support and supplement payments to continue being paid where a person is temporarily absent from Australia. Where a person leaves Australia permanently, and their payment is not payable overseas, payment is stopped on departure.[11] The payments affected by the proposed portability changes are listed in the Budget announcement.[12]

Savings

It is estimated the proposal will realise savings of $127.2 million over four years from 2012–13.[13] There is no statement about the numbers projected to be affected by this proposed change.

Comment

The Howard Government reduced the portability of most income support payments from 26 weeks to 13 weeks from 1 July 2004.[14] This proposed initiative is similar to the previous reductions in the portability periods.

Generally, income support and income supplement payments that are provided by the Australian Government have means testing (income and/or assets tests) to target persons with lesser means to provide for basic living costs. It could be argued that this refers to living costs incurred in Australia and therefore these payments should be targeted to persons living in Australia rather than elsewhere. It could also be argued that for those receiving government assistance, trips overseas should only be for exceptional events.

It is a requirement under both the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999[15] and the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999[16] that if a person intends to leave Australia they are required to notify of their intention to do so. There will be some payment recipients who have the means to take a temporary absence from Australia for a period of more than six weeks. In such cases, payment will probably be able to be made for the initial six weeks and then the person will need to reapply upon return. Currently, for a few payments, there is the capacity to allow an extension of payment beyond 13 weeks on a case-by-case basis.[17] It is probable this facility will also apply to this proposed reduced portability period.

No Pension for this Oldf#$t! and they just dropped the Rebate for Solar Power, now no incentive to add a system to your House,

So much for the Green Government Policy's that helped get them in, my Tax's being spent in Afghanistan and Refugee centers over seas!

Originally Posted by bobo746

And as of 2017 if you were born after jan 1 1957 you can't claim the pension until your 67.

Geeeeeeeeeeeees I'm lucky I was born 1956 but fu-k em I'm not going back.

well I guess that's gunna kill my dole payments.

Originally Posted by nedwalk

FUCKING ARSEOLES!!!!! work all your life to enjoy your fucking retirement..who the fuck are they to tell ya where you can live..fucking arseloes!!!

Unfortunately they are the same arseholes most people have been voting for all their lives, quite happily encouraging their spending. As long as electorates put their votes up for sale they should expect nothing but broken promises and to be ass fucked further down the line.

Call it Gillard, call it!!

Originally Posted by nedwalk

FUCKING ARSEOLES!!!!! work all your life to enjoy your fucking retirement..who the fuck are they to tell ya where you can live..fucking arseloes!!!

I'm with you Ned.

But let me be the devil's advocate.

The govenment, on both sides, wants
you to spend your pension in Australia.

Simple as that.

Pricks!!!!
I'm a spritely 44, so wasn't going to claim any Oz pension just yet. Luckily for me, those that make the rules have added an extra 2 years until I can do so.
Much appreciated - not.....

See your local MP, try not to punch him in the face as this may weaken your argument.

I must mention that the human race can be disappointingly apathetic at times, no make that mostly.

Politicians are very vunerable to the peoples will. They are not royalty despite trying their damnest to offer this impression to the electorate.

In the scheme of things, a saving of less than 200 million dollars over a period of 4 years is miniscule compared with this years Australian budget forecast listed below.
Btw, not all spending projects are listed.

KEY INITIATIVES OF THE
2012‑13 BUDGET

Spreading the benefits of the boom

• $1.8 billion to increase Family Tax Benefit Part A for all eligible families, commencing 1 July 2013
• $1.1 billion for a new Supplementary Allowance for the unemployed, students and parents with young children, on income support, with the first payment commencing March 2013
• In addition, an extra $2.1 billion over five years on a new Schoolkids Bonus, paid directly to eligible recipients
• From 1 July 2012, more than tripling the tax‑free threshold from $6,000 to $18,200, freeing up to 1 million Australians from the need to lodge a tax return

Investing in key health services

• $515.3 million to improve dental services and strengthen the future dental workforce
• Delivering 76 major new regional health infrastructure projects across Australia, worth $475 million
• Investing $61 billion in 2012‑13 in Australia's health care system, an estimated 37 per cent increase on 2007‑08 levels
• An additional $19.8 billion in reforms to public hospital funding over the period to 2019‑20

Building a more productive workforce

• $1.75 billion National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform as agreed at COAG in April this year
• Investing an additional $225.1 million in Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance
• An additional $101 million of new skills measures to improve quality and better support mature age workers

Building productivity by investing in nation building infrastructure

• Investing over $36 billion in roads, rail and ports over six years to 2013‑14
• $3.6 billion to duplicate the Pacific Highway by 2016, conditional on agreement with the NSW Government
• $350 million per year for the Roads to Recovery program
• $232 million towards the Torrens and Goodwood rail project in Adelaide

It is of course hogwash for the government to penalise the retired/elderly for wishing to spend their retirement aboard. It is not a criminal offence to want to do so and nobody imo should be at a financial disadvantage for wishing so.

To declare a saving of less than $50m a year is merely an excuse by the government to punish citizens who no longer reside in the country. Savings of such a small amount simply do not have to be implemented in order to turn the economy around.

'Spreading the benefits of the boom' is also quite an extraordinary title for the government to lead with when at the same time they are pulling
the wheelchairs away from the elderly expats.

makes you wonder why anybody relies on state sponsored pension schemes......

This is from a story yesterday about Kiwis and Aussies now being able to transfer pension payments trans Tasman...

The Australia's Tax Office has estimated it holds about A$13 billion (NZ$16.6 billion) in "lost accounts" in the Australian superannuation system.

That's a fair chunk of change that should be earning a nice bit of interest.

Originally Posted by Plan B

That's a fair chunk of change that should be earning a nice bit of interest.

Yes, a wee bit more than the $50m annual savings policy in order to rob expat pensioners of their entitlements.

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Governments seem to make the rules up as they go along. They would soon change their plans if everyone went back home to claim and jump into the hospitals

That's because 99% of govenments are short sighted,
only wanting to be re elected.

They don't care what happens 10 years down the track.

The problem is in the prior socialist packaging,and pervading belief that the pension is a funded pension and a centerpiece of your old age welfare. People believe that part of their tax goes towards funding this pension for when they retire, thus they are entitled.
This of course is bollox, the old age pension is, like the dole, a safety net for those too poor or shortsighted to provide for themselves. The pension is funded out of current accounts, not a single cent of tax your pay goes towards your future pension, the tax you pay goes towards paying other people their pension.
Forcing private super was the first step in weening the country of this untenable system. I seriously doubt there will be a pension at all when I reach the age in 20 years.
They myth spouted by many an expat that they are less of a burden residing offshore and so should still get to suck at the state tit is just that. Offshore, 100% of your pension gets lost to the Australian economy, if resident, yes cost are higher,but 100% of those costs are retained in the economy.
Saying you should be able to get the pension offshore is like saying it's ok to pay dole bludgers living on a beach in Bali.
The exception to the above is anyone too old at the time of compulsory super of course. And commies.

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Governments seem to make the rules up as they go along.

They would soon change their plans if everyone went back home to claim and jump into the hospitals.

Stupid shortsighted bastards.

How long in the Uk before this arsehole Tory government do the same ?

Anyway whatever happens I won't be working till I,m 65 bollix to the tax shithole of the world

Also a pity that the previous socialist government managed to not only not save but to get the country into even more debt during their tenure through one of the biggest booms in history.