NATIONAL INSURANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 246, 14 September 1935, Page 7

NATIONAL INSURANCE.

SCHEME FOR COMMONWEALTH. It was officially announced in Federal Ministerial circles in Sydney a few days ago that the draft plan for a system of national insurance against unemployment and sickness has been completed. Its main provisions are as follows: (1) Transfer from the States to the Commonwealth of unemployment relief taxes, aggregating £13,000,000 annually. (2) Allocation of relief to unemployed on a variable basis. (3) Control of, and payment by the Commonwealth of, uniform pensions, including widows’ pensions. (4) Control of superannuation schemes. (5) Uniform system of workers’ compensation. (0) Creation of a new department to give effect to these proposals. The Commonwealth Government proposes to convene at an early date an important conference of Premiers and Ministers from the States, to discuss the plan and seek their co-operation. The object of the proposals is fo supplant the State schemes which are now in operation. „ The Premier and members oi tne New South, Wales Cabinet have already expressed their approval of a national insurance scheme. At the last State elections a promise to establish a scheme of unemployment insurance was made, and the State Government would prefer to co-operate in a national scheme than to establish a State one.