Compensation queried

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 11

Compensation queried

Dependent children whose fathers die at 60 years or over are being deprived of their fair share of compensation by clumsy legislaI tion, according to the president of the New Zealand Widows and Widowers’ Association (Mrs Valerie Austin).

j “Social Welfare denies ithem a grant of $5OO, yet I other dependent children • who lose their father before he reaches 60 qualify for a i lump sum of $5OO under the 'Social Welfare Act, 1974,” said Mrs Austin. ' “However, under, the Accident Compensation Act,

where a father dies by accident, each dependent child receives $5OO, with a maximum per family of $l5OO, regardless of the father’s age,” she said. There was an anomaly between dependants whose parents died by accident and those whose parents died from other causes. “We consider it illogical to assume that these children have less need of financial assistance than other dependent children,” Mrs Austin said. The association had frequently raised the matter' with the 'Prime Minister (Mr i Muldoon) and the Minister

of Social Welfare (Mr Gair). An amendment or an additional clause to the Social Welfare Act was needed to correct the anomaly, said Mrs Austin.

Only a' small number of children in New Zealand would be affected. Therefore, the amount of money required from the Social Welfare budget. would be minimal.

The association hoped that the situation might be resolved, as Mr Muldoon had assured the association that its submission would :■ bs borne in mind when family support was reviewed in pre-Budget