PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 82, 8 April 1931, Page 9

PENSIONS

AUSTRALIA'S LOAD

£212.977,474 TO DATE

(From The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 19th March. J The Federal Auditor-General recently was bold enough to direct special attention to the enormous cost of the pensions system, in force in Australia. He suggested that the time had arrived when there should be a general review j of pensions payments, more particularly because of the state of the coun-'i try's finances. Of course, there has followed a general attack on a man who would be so "cruel" as to attack "the pensions of old people." However, were it generally known that socalled "social" payments have so far totalled the huge sum of £212,977,474 j it might be felt that after all there was some justification for the remarks of the Auditor-Genoral. Included iv the sum mentioned are the payments made in respect of the maternity allowance—£.s for each child born in the Commonwealth since 1913, irrespective of the financial position of tho parents. Old-age and invalid' pensions became operative in 1910, and war pensions date i'rom 1916. Payments under the throe heads have been as follows: — £ Old-age and invalid pensions 111,468,415 War pensions 58,862,42G Maternity allowances ... 11,746,633 Total 212,077,474 In 1915 the average fortnightly payment to old-age and invalid pensioners was 19s 4d. In 1916 there was an increase of ss. Successive further increases sent up the average fortnightly payments until at the end of tho last financial year tho average was 3Ss sd. The number receiving tho allowances from the Commonwealth Government in each 10,000 of tho entire population is 333. Since 1910 'the number •of pensions has increased from 65,492 to 218,500, and the amount por your from £1,493,430 to £10,635,200. When, tho pension scheme was operating two years tho amount paid to benevolent asylums and hospitals was £7-147. Now tho payments to theso institutions in respect of inmates is £157,37!). The figures relating to the,matennly allowance havo remained fairly steady sineo 1014, the first full year after tho bonus was payable. In that year tho cost was £674,990 in respect of 134,908 babies. Last, year bonuses paid numbered 128,598, costing £642,990. Fearing that the Government might be led to attack war pensions, the Returned Soldiers' League has begun a "Hands off Pensions" campaign. The annual liability for war pensions in Australia has grown from £368,500 in 1916 to £7,763,508 in 1930. The number of rncipients has increased from. 8754 to 379,285.