PENSION RECIPROCITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23149, 22 September 1938, Page 12

PENSION RECIPROCITY

Introducing the Commonwealth Budget, the Federal Treasurer, Mr. Casey, said that during the present year legislation would be introduced providing for pensions reciprocity between Australia and New Zealand regarding invalidity and old age pensions. This is the result of negotiations by Mr. Parry, Minister of Pensions, during his visit to Australia at the beginning of the present year. After his return, Mr. stated that he had discussed the question with the Federal Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet. Then there had been a conference at Canberra, during which the whole subject had been discussed. He indicated that proposals for reciprocity would be submitted to the Australian Cabinet at an early date. Mr. Lyons immediately denied the accuracy of this, saying that the affair was not so far advanced. At the same time he expressed his entire agreement with the principle of reciprocity, and said that inquiries as to its practicability were being made. They have now come to an issue, and Australia will take the hoped-for action. New Zealand has had an Old Age Pensions Reciprocity Act on the Statute Book since 1913., Jt gave effect to an agreement made between Mr. Andrew Fisher, then Prime Minister of Australia, and Mr. F. M. B. Fisher,. Minister of Pensions in the first Massey Administration. Australia never ratified that agreement. Its terms were similar to those indicated by Mr. Casey, but it affected only old age pensions. The invalidity pension did not then exist. On the face of it, New Zealand can give effect to the new bargain merely by gazetting a date of commencement for the existing legislation. Whether anything more will be needed depends upon the financial clauses of the agreement Mr. Parry negotiated.