Footnotes

Chapter 1 - Introduction

[1]        House of Representatives, Votes and Proceedings, No. 165, 2 December 2015, p. 1787.

[2]        Journals of the Senate, No. 134, 3 December 2015, pp 3625–3626.

[3]        Explanatory Memorandum (EM), p. 1; House of Representatives, Votes and Proceedings, No. 127, 22 June 2015, pp 1420–1421.

[4]        EM, p. 1. Also see: Schedules 2 and 5–6 of the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Pensions) Bill 2015 (first reading).

[5]        Journals of the Senate, No. 113, 9 September 2015, pp 3075–3076.

[6]        EM, p. 1. Also see: Schedule 5 of the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015.

[7]        Some submitters to the inquiry questioned whether these savings could be achieved: Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW Inc., Submission 2, p. 3; Welfare Rights Centre Sydney, Submission 9, p. 3.

[8]        The Hon Christian Porter MP, Minister for Social Services (Minister), House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 11.

[9]        The National Welfare Rights Network noted that, in recent years, the number of Australian Working Life Residence years required to be paid at the full rate has increased from 25 years to 35 years: Submission 4, p. 3.

[10]      The proposed measure would apply only to absences from Australia that commence on or after 1 January 2017 (item 5 of Schedule 1 to the Bill).

[11]      This measure was first introduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014 and then reintroduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014, which, at the time of writing, has been introduced but not debated in the Senate: Journals of the Senate, No. 61, 28 October 2014, p. 1639.

[12]      Pensioner Education Supplement is a fortnightly payment of $62.40 for approved students who are undertaking at least 50 per cent of a full­‑time study load or $31.20 for approved students who are undertaking at least 35 per cent of a full‑time study: Department of Human Services, Pensioner Education Supplement, accessed 21 January 2016.

[13]      Minister, House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 12.

[14]      This measure was first introduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014 and then reintroduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014.

[15]      Education Entry Payments is an annual payment of $208.00: Department of Human Services, Education Entry Payment, accessed 21 January 2016; EM, Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights, p. 7.

[16]      Minister, House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 12.

[17]      Minister, House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 12. Also see: Reference Group on Welfare Reform, February 2015, A New System for Better Employment and Social Outcomes, accessed 21 January 2016.

[18]      This measure was first introduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 1) Bill 2014 and the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014, and then reintroduced in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014.

[19]      Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Thirty-third report of the 44th Parliament, 2 February 2015, p. 2.

[20]      Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Alert Digest No. 1 of 2016, 3 February 2016, p. 35.

Chapter 2 - Key issues

[1]        Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015 [Provisions], August 2015; Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Pensions) Bill 2015 [Provisions], June 2015; Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 1) Bill 2014 [Provisions], Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014 [Provisions], 12 September 2014.

[2]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 2.

[3]        Submission 3, p. 1. Also see: Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW Inc., Submission 2, p. 3.

[4]        Submission 3, pp 1–2. Also see: COTA Australia, Submission 12, p. 1.

[5]        Submission 4, p. 3. Also see: Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW Inc., Submission 2, p. 3; Australian Council of Social Service, Submission 9, p. 1.

[6]        Submission 11, p. 1.

[7]        Submission 9, p. 3. Also see: COTA Australia, Submission 12, pp 1–2, which noted also that it is not unusual for people to make one big trip to their birth country after retirement.

[8]        Submission 8, p. 2.

[9]        Global AgeWatch Index 2015, AgeWatch report card, Australia, accessed 21 January 2016.

[10]      Submission 3, p. 2.

[11]      Submission 7, p. 1.

[12]      Submission 7, p. 2.

[13]      Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Pensions) Bill 2015 [Provisions], June 2015, p. 22.

[14]      The Hon Christian Porter MP, Minister for Social Services, House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 12. For further information on these and other programs see: Australian Government, HELP Paying My Fees, accessed 21 January 2016; EM, Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights, p. 4.

[15]      Minister, House of Representatives Hansard, 2 December 2015, p. 12.

[16]      Submission 1, p. 3 (emphasis in the original).

[17]      Submission 6, p. 2.

[18]      Submission 6, p. 2. Also see: The Women and Work Research Group and The Work + Family Policy Roundtable, Submission 5, p. 9.

[19]      As indicated in chapter one, the Pensioner Education Supplement represents a payment of $62.40 per fortnight for full-time students and $31.20 per fortnight for part‑time students. About 93 per cent of payment recipients receive the higher amount: Welfare Rights Centre Sydney, Submission 10, p. 3.

[20]      Submission 8, p. 2. Also see:  The Women and Work Research Group and The Work + Family Policy Roundtable , Submission 5, p. 10; Australian Association of Social Workers, Submission 1, p. 4, which argued also that the Pensioner Education Supplement should be increased, rather than being eliminated.

[21]      Submission 2, p. 4.

[22]      Submission 10, p. 4. Also see: National Welfare Rights Network, Submission 4, p. 4.

[23]      Submission 11, p. 2.

[24]      Submission 10, p. 4. Also see: National Welfare Rights Network, Submission 4, p. 4.

[25]      Australian Association of Social Workers, Submission 1, p. 5.

[26]      Submission 9, p. 2. Also see: National Welfare Rights Network, Submission 4, p. 4.

[27]      Submission 5, p. 8.

[28]      Submission 5, p. 10.

[29]      Submission 4, p. 4. Also see: St Vincent de Paul Society, Submission 8, p. 3; Welfare Rights Centre Sydney, Submission 9, p. 2.

[30]      Submission 1, p. 4. Also see p. 5 in relation to the Education Entry Payment.

[31]      Submission 7, p. 2. Chinese Australian Services Society Limited specifically referred to the prevention of dementia-spectrum disorders.

[32]      Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Pensions) Bill 2015 [Provisions], June 2015, p. 22.

[33]      EM, Statement of Compatibility, p. 9.

[34]      The Salvation Army, Submission 6, p. 3. Also see: St Vincent de Paul Society, Submission 8, p. 3.

[35]      Submission 9, p. 7.

[36]      Submission 7, p. 3.

[37]      Submission 9, p. 2. Also see: Welfare Rights Centre Sydney, Submission 9, p. 7.

[38]      Submission 2, pp 4–5.

[39]      Submission 4, p. 5. The Refugee Council of Australia referred particularly to the inadequacy of Austudy and Youth Allowance: Submission 11, p. 2.

[40]      Submission 2, p. 5; Submission 6, p. 3; Submission 8, p. 3, respectively.

Australian Greens Dissenting Report

[1]        Second reading speech, Christian Porter.

[2]        Submission 3, p. 1.

[3]        Submissions as referenced in the majority committee report.

[4]        COTA Australia, Submission 12.

[5]        Second reading, Christian Porter.

[6]        Salvation Army, Submission 6; Australian Association of Social Worker, Submission 1.

[7]        St Vincent de Paul Society, Submission 8; ACOSS, Submission 10; WRCS, Submission 9.

[8]        WRCS, Submission 9; RCA, Submission 11.

[9]        WRCS, Submission 9.

[10]      Second reading, Christian Porter.

[11]      ACOSS, Submission 10; NWRN, Submission 4.

[12]      ACOSS, Submission 10.

[13]      Michael Klapdor, Work and study incentives for the unemployed and single parents, Parliamentary Library Budget Review 2013-14, https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview201314/WorkStudyIncentives (accessed 3 February 2015); WRCS, Submission 9.