Discrimination Against Australian Married Couples

Discrimination Against Australian “Married Couples”

The fact is, that the adoption by the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd/Abbott Governments of the so called, “Harmer Report” has resulted, in current Australian Governments, being in fact, “worse than the 1963 Menzies Government which introduced “discrimination” against Married Aged Pensioners, as a “fallout” from the 1961 Australian economic slowdown.”

On the 14th November 1963, the Menzies Government, reduced the Parity for people who are “Married” from 100% of the Pension Rate down by 8.7% to 91.3% of the Full Aged Pension Rate.

On 20th September 2009 in the recent “wake” of the World economic slowdown the Rudd Government (now continued by the Abbott Government) reduced the Married Couples Aged Pension Rate from 83.52% of the Singles Full Pension Rate down by 8.14% to 75.38% of the Full Singles Aged Pension Rate, bringing the position for Aged Pensioners who wish to remain Married, down, with a discrimination, which between Menzies and Rudd, a Total Percentage Reduction of now 24.62% below the Parity of Full Aged Pensions that applied for 53 years, from 1910 to 1963. Even during the 1930’s Great Depression the Parity remained at 100% of the Full Aged Pension Rate.

The problem is, that the “Harmer Revue” based its assumptions on “estimates” and not on any grounds of assessing the amount, that both, Australian Females and Males, who paid, and are still paying, Personal Income Tax, have, since 1946, paid the additional 7½% Welfare/Pension Tax, which, no Australian Government, since 1946, has reduced. That money is still being paid annually, into the Australian Commonwealth Treasury, currently, by persons paying Personal Income Tax.

Currently, two Aged Pensioners, who are Sisters, a Brother and Sister, or Brothers who live in the same Home, normally, receive the Full Aged Pension, of $427.15 each per week (paid as $854.30 each fortnightly).

Currently, two Aged Pensioners who are Married, if they live in the same Home, receive $322.00 each per week (paid as $644.00 each fortnightly) that’s $210.30 less weekly, into the Married Couple’s Home ($420.60 less fortnightly) yet, they both each paid the 7½%, introduced in 1946, Welfare/Pension Tax (Levy).

There is the urgent need for the Married Couple’s Aged Pension Rate to be increased by $105.36 per week each to restore Parity to the 91.3% Menzies Level. Collated by the Australian Pensioners & Superannuants League WA Inc 20th January 2015