Social Services Compared

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31089, 18 June 1966, Page 22

Social Services Compared

Whether New Zealand or Australia had the better social services depended on philosopical outlook, said the Australian Federal Minister of Social Services (Mr I. M. Sinclair), in an interview i n Christchurch.

The emphasis on social services in Australia, he said, had been to encourage private superannuation companies through taxation incentives.

Australia was also endeavouring to . encourage voluntary agents working in social welfare by financial incentives.

“We hope more and more to encourage people to look after other people, particularly the aged. “We have given more than £22 million in the last 10 years.”

Mr Sinclair is a member of the Sydney bar. He also runs Merino sheep and Hereford cattle near Tamworth, New South Wales. When he arrived at Harewood Airport he was wearing a grey Australian 10-gallon hat. “This is a bushy’s hat,” he said as he ran his thumb around the 3 jin brim. “I sleep in it.”

. Mr Sinclair is interested in the decentralisation of the Social Security Department, the way it works and aspects of Social Security legislation.

Mr Sinclair said that New Zealand provided national superannuation. Australia had no counterpart. There was a mean’s test restriction on age pensions in Australia. Child allowance in Australia was 5s a week for the first child; 10s a week for the

second and 15s a week for the third child. Australia had a student endowment of 15s for all student children from 16 to 21.

Australia’s means test for age pensions was a fairly generous system, said Mr Sinclair. There was an exemption oi a person’s home, a motorear, certain personal possessions and £2OO in the bank.

“Beyond this, we then have a means test, which takes into account his property and his income,” said Mr Sinclair. “There is some pension payable for married couples having no income, but property up to £12,000, in addition to other things that have been exempted. Mr Sinclair played Rugby for Australian universities against New Zealand universities and he will see the Lions match against Otago on Saturday. The drought in parts of New South Wales and southern Queensland was very, very grim. Many breeders, both of sheep and cattle had sold off some of their best breeding stock and there would be a grave shortage of sheep breeders, he said.

Both Western Australia and South Australia had bought much breeding stock from the eastern States while the drought was on.

"To recover from the drought,'’the big problem is capital. The graziers are now living on their capital. Stock will be very dear.”