Minister rejects Super. complaint

Press, 7 July 1977, Page 5

Minister rejects Super. complaint

r The Labour Party, ratherj , than the National Party, was [ , responsible for misleading! . beneficiaries about their con-i , cessions, said the Minister of Social Welfare (Mr Walker) . Social Welfare (Mr Walker). I Mr Walker was comment-1 ! ing on remarks made by the! Labour spokesman on Social; ■ Welfare, Mr M. A. Connelly,! in the House last week, and! reported in “The Press” of! ! July 4. Mr Connelly cited state-! ments by National members; before the 1975 General Election that telephone and television rebates would be paid in addition to National Superannuation. Mr Connelly said that many people had already 1 lost the concessions, the rest ! stood to lose them. As well, pensioners had had I their last Christmas bonus, the cost-of-living adjustment I due in January cut out < , bv last year’s Budget, and the ! 30 per cent National Airways , I concession for pensioners; i I under 65 had gone. Many had; ;also lost local authority busii ; concessions. ji Rail concessions would go h in August next year, said Mr|i Connelly and from his figures! i the average rates rebatelf would go when income from; all sources, including National!’ Superannuation, reached;’ $84.50 a week. *<

■; The adoption of National! [Superannuation, he said,; ! meant the loss of all other | i benefits to elderly people. | Mr Walker has rejected Mr I I Connelly’s complaint, saying ; that the National members’ I statements were correct. “Concessions are being I continued as stated in Nat- ! ional’s policy up to the same I income limits that were in [ force when National won office. These income limits I were $88.20 a week for a marl tied couple and $60.80 a week for a single person,” he said. Of the 194,557 age beneficiaries transferred to National Superannuation, 11,932 had had their telephone concessions withdrawn. About 9500 had had their television concessions withdrawn because their income was over the statutory limit. These people were previously receiving a reduced age; benefit because of their ex-1 cess income. The elimination! of the income test with the; introduction of National Sup-' erannuation meant that they! received an immediate in-1 crease to the full rate. This I ; with their additional income,!: made their total income more! than the statutory limit that I! qualified a national superan-ll nuitant for the concessions, |: said Mr Walker. ’•