1 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

THE

VOICEWinner of the 2009 Older People Speak Out Media Award - Seniors’ Newsletters

OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSWPrint Post Approved PP235387100064 ISSN 10353615 March 2011

GREAT BIG NEW TAX ON

OLDER PEOPLEWelcome to Australia’s world

class aged care system: “and how would you like

to pay for that?”Full story page 5

Coalition does a 3-point turn on Older Driver Testing

PLUS

2 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

CPSA Executive(as at 2.11.2010)

Grace Selway OAM PresidentBob JaySecretaryBetty ChamberlainTreasurerBill HollandSenior Vice PresidentAssistant TreasurerSue LatimerVice PresidentMargaret Craven-ScottAssistant SecretaryEdna KayPublications EditorBarbara WrightAssistant Publications EditorShirley BainsMarie Mihell George RayColin Vernon

THE VOICEOF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

Editor: Edna KayAssistant Editor: Barbara WrightPhone: (02) 9281 3588Fax: (02) 9281 9716Email: voice@cpsa.org.auProduction: Charmaine Crowe, Antoine Mangion & Andrew Boulton Printer: MPD, Unit E1, 46-62 Maddox Street, Alexandria NSW 2015All content prepared by the editorial and production team with reference to stories on AAP newswire, unless indicated.THE VOICECPSA, Level 9, 28 Foveaux StSurry Hills NSW 2010

Disclaimer

No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in advertisements or text supplied by other organisations or individuals and/or typographical errors.

CPSA does not support or promote the products or views in paid advertising.

LettersNursing home conditions need vast improvement

WHAT shocking conditions were revealed on the ABC’s 7.30 Report . The release of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations also paints a terrifying picture for those who in no way choose to be institutionalised. We do not choose to suffer with Alzheimer’s or any of the debilitating conditions that afflict us.

Most of us thought that when we retired we could be self-sufficient but alas, with the financial crash and the increase in cost of existing (for some it cannot be called living) we will not have the funds to go to a retirement place.

To have to take out a reverse mortgage is abhorrent to many who have not owed a cent and always paid as they go. To think that an animal minder in a zoo receives much more salary than a

trained nurse or nurse’s aid is a shameful disgrace in the way to treat our elders who have worked hard to develop this land of ours, where one nurse is left responsible for 99 patients. Please urge governments to improve on these iniquitous conditions.

Joan TealeDubbo, NSW

Post Office closures a blow to community

I HAVE heard on radio, read in papers, and also been told by friends that Australia Post have closed and will be closing more of their agencies in the suburbs. I wish to protest strongly to these closures.

I am 87 years old and I vehemently want to stay independent and in my own home which, I might tell you, took a lot of going without to get. But the Australian Government seems bent on destroying my way of life

by making my independence impossible to maintain.

I do not own a computer nor do I ever wish to. I do not have a cheque book. All I have is a passbook that I have had all my life. The only way that I can pay my various household bills is to go to the post office in Chester Hill and pay cash. If I need to send a birthday gift or make a donation I go to the post office and purchase a money order. The post office is a necessity for me to function in a manner that I can manage and also know exactly what I am doing.

I implore CPSA to fight these closures on my behalf as well as other elderly people who rely on the post office as a place to do their necessary business.

Phyllis LentonVillawood East, NSW

CPSA has written to the Minister for Communications Senator the Hon Stephen

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Please send to: CPSA, Level 9, 28 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Letters are personal views only and do not necessarily reflect CPSA policy. Ed.

March 2011 THE VOICE ONLINE: www.cpsa.org.au 3

Conroy who has responsibility for Australia Post, calling for his intervention to keep open those post offices which have already closed or are vetted for closure. We encourage all Members and Branches to write to the Minister and organise with other community groups to oppose post office closures. Ed.

New health facilities need community involvement

DUBBO has been promised a new hospital, date as yet unknown. According to the Daily Liberal, published in early February, the public are not going to be privy to the plans and, as usual, will be treated like mushrooms and kept in the dark.

Surely those who work in these areas should have access to these plans and perhaps point out some pitfalls. The memories of unworkable emergency areas and Bathurst having an ambulance bay which could not hold a vehicle, come to mind. These are just some of the errors that could have been avoided by inspection by those who use the areas.

Perhaps this is politicians’ true meaning of that frequently used word transparency. It is imperative that we have radiology, pathology, physiotherapy, social workers, medicos and nurses.

Can we have an assurance that there will be separate rooms and bathrooms for males and females. Many of our friends and CPSA Members have been acutely embarrassed by waking up to find a member of the opposite sex in the bed next to them.

Joan TealeDubbo, NSW

MRI services needed in Taree

MEMBERS of Manning Valley CPSA have great concern about the availability of MRI services in our region. Two units have been made available at Port Macquarie hospital although one is not operational. None have been made available at Taree. The Members feel this is a manifestation of Taree being the neglected appendage to the Hunter New England Health region. Technically speaking, our patients are required to travel to Newcastle (some 180km) for MRI examinations although we are able to sneak over the border, so to speak, to Port Macquarie (85km). To solve this dilemma we would like to see that a MRI unit be made available at Taree Hospital. Further we ask that Taree be included in the Mid North Coast Local Health Network instead of Hunter New England LHN. This is where we regionally belong.

John NewellOld Bar, NSW

Letters

By mail to:THE VOICE, CPSALevel 9, 28 Foveaux StSurry Hills NSW 2010

or by email to:voice@cpsa.org.au

You must include your name and suburb or town for the letter to be published. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Send a letter to THE VOICE

The Writing GroupThe 18 senior members of The Writing Group have celebrated their achievements in two books: ‘Grandma’s bedtime stories’ and ‘History of the Padstow Bowling and Recreation Club’ which were launched on Friday 3 December 2010. The mission of the The Writing Group is to encourage older women in sessions of creative writing with the intention of creating mental and social stimulation, reducing isolation and loneliness as well as a sense of self. Any older woman wishing to join The Writing Group should call CPSA Member and group leader Silvana Gruber on 02 9707 3570.

Seniors’ group announces badges for long servicePhoto and article by Brett Barlow, The Mudgee Weekly

LIFE membership badges were presented to six Members of the Rylstone Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association at a luncheon held at the Rylstone Hotel recently. The badges were presented by Esme Martens, Mid-Western Regional Councillor who told the gathering that it was nice to be able to recognise the service the Members had given over many years.“Without your support we wouldn’t have these types of organisations,” she said. The badges were awarded for long service to Millie Morrison (30 years), Carolyn Norris (30 years), Darcey Morrison (over 20 years), Robert and Robin Johnston (over five years) and Charmaine McCleay (over five years).

Councillor Esme Martens (second left) with Millie Morrison, Charmaine McCleay and Carolyn Norris.

CPSA Members’ efforts recognised in community

The dedication of long-serving Gulgong CPSA Treasurer Athol (Ackie) Ryan was acknowledged at last year’s CPSA Annual Conference where he was among the first recipients of the CPSA’s new Golden Bough Award. Mr Ryan’s service was recently further acknowledged in the local media. The Mudgee Guardian reported on Gulgong CPSA’s Christmas lunch, where (in front of over 100 Members) Mr Ryan was presented with the Golden Bough Award by his friend and Gulgong CPSA President Ken Evans.Mr Ryan only recently retired from the role of Treasurer after 25 years in that position. His wife, Helen Ryan, was also recognised for her service to the Branch. The Gulgong Branch presented Mrs Ryan with a certificate of appreciation for her work in organising raffles, lucky door prizes and dinners. Heather Ryan, Esther and Ken Evans

and Ackie Ryan at the presentation

4 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

Members’ page

Crossword by Hilda Thorburn

THE e-VOICE is available to view on the internet at www.cpsa.org.au/evoice.html

DonationsCPSA is grateful for all donations. Due to lack of space, the following only includes donations above $35.

Anonymous $50.00Balcolyn Seniors Indoor Bowls Group $62.92Cobar CPSA $200.00M. Hage $50.00R. Heard $38.00E. Hokin $50.00N. Hunter $38.00S. Molesworth $100.00L. Warn $38.00J. Wood $50.00

Across 1. Birth control 8. Put in jail 9. ... the line, obeying10. Train disaster11. Prayer ending12. Port Aden’s native14. Parrot17. Seven-sided and seven- angled figure20. Cat cries23. Tiller24. Invigorates25. Decapitate26. Made faces27. Pleasing attempt (10,3)

Answers on back page

Down

1. Emcee 2. Tell (a story) 3. Deciding 4. Patronisingly 5. Small and dainty 6. Japanese flower arrangement 7. Weakling (3-4)13. Chart15. Sacrament; fellowship16. Also18. ... in Gaza, written by A.L. Huxley19. Storm21. Unyielding, stubborn22. By what24. Teams

CPSA Merchandise

BadgesMembership $ 3.60Title Bar* + pendant $ 9.00Title Bar $5.00Pendant $ 4.00(*except Welfare Officer $ 10.15Asst Soc. Sec.) $16.15CardsMembership $0.10Waratah card $1.00Card wallet $3.30Certificate (80/90 years/Appreciation) $1.10Emergency medical information book $2.00Leather key ring $5.50Letter opener: silver or gold $10.00Tea caddy spoon $4.40

The free black and white book marks have proved very popular with CPSA Members. If your Branch would like more, particularly for promotion purposes, please call Kate on 1800 451 488. CPSA is still taking expressions of interest for colour bookmarks and if there are sufficient quantities, Head Office will go ahead with an order.

CPSA Bookmarks

CPSA Honour Board

The CPSA Honour Board, generously donated by the Penrith Seniors & Pensioners’ Club, is proudly displayed in Head Office’s reception area. The Honour Board acknowledges bequests made by CPSA Members.

If you are thinking of making or updating your Will and would like information about making a bequest to CPSA so that your name can be added to the Board, please contact Head Office on 1800 451 488. Whatever the size of the bequest, it all helps fund CPSA’s campaigns.

Garden of RemembranceNyngan CPSA lost one of its valued Members, Mrs Myrtle Blake, in October 2010. She regularly attended meetings and was always ready to assist in many ways in whatever the Association was involved. Deepest sympathy is extended to her husband Bill. We shall miss Myrtle very much.

Donald Rex Holland (Rex) of Grenfell CPSA passed away in December 2010 aged 94 years. He regularly attended meetings since joining in 1983 and was the Auditor for many years. He will be sadly missed.

~ Rest In Peace ~

Centrelink DebtsCPSA is interested in hearing from people who have had to repay a debt with Centrelink. If this has happened to you or someone you know, please call the Policy Team on 1800 451 488.

March 2011 THE VOICE ONLINE: www.cpsa.org.au 5

NEVER mind that the Australian Government was able to forfeit $106 billion in tax cuts over the last five years. There’s not enough cash in the bank to boost the $10 billion spent each year on aged care. The Productivity Commission’s draft report on aged care ‘Caring for Older Australians’ says, therefore, unless older people contribute more to the cost of their care, aged care is going down the drain. The funding cannot come from increased taxes either. That’s because the bean counters at the Commission reckon that governments never like raising taxes and therefore increasing taxes is not a reliable funding option. Instead, the

Commission thinks older people’s homes hold the key to funding problems. Bonds are to be expanded to nursing homes, otherwise known as high care facilities. If the older person doesn’t want to sell their home, they have the choice of taking out a reverse mortgage to pay for accommodation, or not get aged care. So, if your only source of income is the pension, but you live in a house worth $300,000, you’ll have to sell or hock your home to get an aged care bed. Sound unfair? Wait, it gets better. The Commission thinks that aged care is overregulated and places a great burden on aged care providers. They want to see less

regulation, such as removing the requirement that all nursing homes receive at least one ‘spot check’ or unannounced inspection each year. They say that spot checks should be targeted to risky facilities only. CPSA thinks that this idea defeats the purpose of spot checks, which is to pick up on cases of poor care in facilities that have passed accreditation. The Commission thinks mandatory reporting of abuse should also be reviewed. Never mind that abuse of residents is a criminal offence. It creates a lot of paperwork for aged care providers. The Commission doesn’t like the idea of mandatory staff to resident

ratios either. Such regulation would be very difficult for providers to uphold. The report effectively says to older people: “Pay more, but don’t expect better care in return”. The Australian Government spends 0.8% of gross domestic product (GDP) on aged care. Compare that with the Netherlands, which spends 3.5% of GDP, or Sweden, which spends 3.6% of GDP. Even by 2050, the Australian Government is predicted to spend only 1.8% on aged care. It’s a pittance. CPSA calls on all Members to visit or write to their local Federal Members of Parliament to say “NO to a user-pays aged care system!”

Aged Care InquiryGREAT BIG NEW TAX ON OLDER PEOPLE

Welcome to Australia’s world class aged care system: How would you like to pay for that?

Rally at the Productivity Commission HearingsCPSA Policy Coordinator Charmaine Crowe will be speaking at the Productivity Commission’s public hearings on the Caring for Older Australians Inquiry. The public hearings are set for Monday 28 March at The Adina Apartment Hotel, 359 Crown St, Surry Hills and a rally will be held outside the hearing from 8.00am to 10.00am as the Commissioners arrive. A lunchtime rally from 12.30pm to 1.30pm will keep the pressure up. We need your support! Please come and join us at the rally to show your opposition to the Productivity Commission’s pro-market direction for aged care.

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally has been busy announcing election commitments over the past few weeks in an effort to hold on to power in NSW. Premier Keneally announced a $12.5 million funding boost to NSW’s Oral Health voucher scheme, where low-income dental patients can get a voucher to receive private dental treatment. While this policy will help a lucky few, it’s a drop in the ocean compared with what’s needed. The New South Wales Council of Social Service (NCOSS) recommends that dental funding in NSW needs

to be increased by almost $200 million to at least be on par with dental funding of other states and territories. There are about 118,000 people on a public dental waiting list at the moment in NSW. Meanwhile, the Coalition’s response to the announcement was “The NSW Liberals & Nationals will help people get their teeth fixed, and formulate staffing plans to deliver the next generation of medical professionals”, Opposition Health spokesperson Jillian Skinner said. It seems that decent dental policy is a long way off yet.

CPSA calls for an Australia-wide dental scheme to be established and funded by the Australian Government. Teeth are part of the body and should be covered by a system similar to Medicare. As part of the Greens’ deal struck with Federal Labor in order to form government last year, Labor agreed to consider a dental policy to address Australia’s 500,000 long waiting list for public dental care in the context of the 2011 budget. To date, the only policy hinted at by the Gillard Government is an expansion of the Teen Dental Scheme

that provides $157 vouchers for a dental check-up. Health Minister Nicola Roxon was considering expanding the scheme to all age groups. The problem with this is that if the check-up finds that treatment is needed, there’s nothing to cover the treatment cost. CPSA calls on the Australian Government to make good its deal with the Greens to address the massive dental problem we have in Australia. The only way to do that is to put in place a Medicare-style dental scheme, first for people on low-incomes, and then expanded to the rest of the population.

Keneally’s dental plan

6 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

CPSA Member Benefit

March 2011 THE VOICE ONLINE: www.cpsa.org.au 7

Aged Care Inquiry

1. Care recipients’ homes be factored into an aged care means-test, from which care co-payments & accommodation payments are determined.

2. The home could be sold to fund a bond OR a reverse mortgage would be taken out to fund aged care accommodation costs.

3. Care recipients to pay between 5% and 25% of care costs, up to a cap of $60,000 over the course of care (including care at home). The Australian Government would fund the rest.

4. The Australian Government’s control of supply of aged care places be removed, allowing the

market to dictate where aged care places be placed.

5. Aged care places in rural regional areas to receive additional government subsidies to make care provision attractive to providers.

6. People with no private income or assets receive adequate government

subsidies for care.7. An independent regulator,

the Australian Aged Care Regulator, takes over complaints, assessment of care costs, and accreditation (which will continue to be carried out by the Aged Care Standards & Accreditation Agency, under this body).

1. Making older people pay more for care will result in many low-income older people choosing not to get the care (especially care at home, which keeps people out of nursing homes).

2. Bonds or reverse mortgages for nursing homes/high care places will see older, frail and vulnerable people being forced to sell or hock their home to get aged care.

3. People choosing not to get community care because of the cost. For example, under the Commission recommendations, an Age Pensioner with no private

income would pay at least $2,000 per annum to get a Community Aged Care Package, because they would have to pay for at least 5% of the $39,250 bill. At the moment, this care recipient could not be asked to pay more than 17.5% of their pension on care, but they would be able to negotiate the fee.

4. What happens if a dependent relative lives in the home and a reverse mortgage has been taken out to fund care costs? When the home owner has died, that home will have to be sold, leaving the

dependent homeless. 5. What happens if a spouse

continues living in the mortgaged home and then needs care? Do they take out another reverse mortgage on the mortgaged house? Remember, interest rates have been as high as 20% in the past.

6. A government-run equity release scheme exists in South Australia. The current rate of variable interest is 8.6%. Under this scheme, if an 85 year-old took out $80,000 against her $400,000 home to pay for aged care costs, after five years, her debt would

be $122,792. She will pay over $8,500 per annum or over $160 per week in interest alone, if interest rates remain at 8.6%. A very expensive way to fund care.

7. Finally, the Commission thinks that competition in the nursing home sector will improve quality of aged care. That may be the case in the well-heeled suburbs of Sydney. Areas where people are on low-incomes can expect more of the same, with corners cut, staff shortages and poor care with less regulation.

Some of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations

What the recommendations mean Selling or pawning the home to get into a nursing home

8 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

NSW State Election 2011

Local Government rates rebatesLabor: No intention to increase the $250 rebate.

Coalition: Will review the current rebate scheme.

Greens: No policy, but believe “social equity should be prioritised over user-pays principles when setting Council rates and charges”.

Energy rebate & assistance

Labor: Increase the Energy Rebate to $250 (not indexed) in July 2011, and expand the rebate to all households earning less than $150,000 per annum by July 2012.

Coalition: Increase energy rebate for Commonwealth Health Care Card holders to $200 (July 2011), $215 (July 2012), $225 (July 2013) and $235 (July 2014). Provide a rebate for families receiving Family Tax Benefit A or B increasing from $75 (July 2012) to $150 (July 2014). Families eligible for both rebates will receive a maximum of $250 from July 2012. Rebates are not indexed. Greens: No sale of energy assets or retailers. Reduction of total energy consumption by 15% by 2015 using mandatory energy efficiency standards. No energy rebate policy, but support “a distributed electricity industry, including widespread use of rooftop solar panels and increased community-level control”; introduce a fund to improve the energy efficiency of housing for disadvantaged people to offset and prevent the inequitable impact of electricity price rises as full environmental costs are integrated.

Permanent exclusion of 2009 $30 single pension rise from public housing

Labor: Review decision.

Coalition: Review decision.

Greens: No policy.

Transport: Coalition does a 3-point turn on the Older Driver Test?

Labor: Cap public transport fares so that fare rises do not exceed inflation.

Coalition: Do not support mandatory age-based driver tests, but do not say if they will scrap the older driver test*. Will introduce a scheme where drivers with records free of an offence for at least five years will have their licence renewal fees cut by 50%. Increase funding to Community Transport by $12 million, set up a “one stop shop” for Community Transport and a driver accreditation framework to ensure Community Transport providers can enhance their services and ensure utmost safety of volunteers, employees and clients.

*The Coalition has reneged on their former commitment to abolish the older driver test: “After reviewing available evidence and research, as well as seeking the views of older drivers across northern NSW, the Liberal/Nationals support an alternative licensing scheme for older drivers, involving: abolishion of mandatroy age-based driver tests to bring NSW into line with other States like Victoria and Queensland” (Duncan Gay, Former Shadow Minister for Roads, Monday 29 October 2007).

Greens: Improve public transport services in & between regional areas, restoring regional rail lines such as Casino-Murwillumbah; provide elevator access to CityRail railway stations & other stations; maintain sufficient staff levels to ensure that public transport services are safe & user-friendly; invest in a mix of heavy rail, light rail and bus services in built-up urban areas.

Local Government Pensioner Water Rebate

Labor: No policy.

Coalition: Will review current water rebate schemes and will examine the feasability of extending the rebate to pensioners residing in residential parks and manufactured home estates.

Greens: No policy.Expand tenancy and consumer protections to

boarders and lodgers

Labor: No policy.

Coalition: Will consider a November 2010 consultation draft Bill introduced by Liberal Member for Ryde Victor Dominello that calls for tougher controls on boarding houses by increasing penalties for those found in breach of boarding house regulations.

Greens: Establish tenancy rights in law for boarders, lodgers and students living in university or college accommodation.

Expand Energy Accounts Payment Assistance to residential park residents

Labor: No policy, but the Labor Government is currently reviewing this scheme.

Coalition: No policy.

Greens: No policy.

Dental

Labor: Provide $12.5 million over four years to fund an additional 20,000 Oral Health vouchers, including $5 million for the Pensioner Denture Scheme.

Coalition: No policy.

Greens: Increase State funding by $100 million over three years; increase the number of TAFE places for dental health professionals; lobby the Federal Government to increase the number of university training places for dentists & provide Medicare rebates for dental care.

Funerals

CPSA calls for a maximum price of a basic funeral to be set by the NSW Government.

Labor: No policy.

Coalition: No policy.

Greens: No policy.

Here are the major parties’ policies on issues that may concern you

March 2011 THE VOICE ONLINE: www.cpsa.org.au 9

Surprise, surprise. Another swipe against pensions by the Business Council of Australia

AS surely as night follows day, the Business Council of Australia has made another attack on pensioners. In its pre-budget submission, the Business Council says that the Australian Government should limit spending on disability support pensions (DSP) and services as an alternative to the proposed levy to pay for the disaster recovery. The Business Council seems to be on a crusade against pensioners. Readers may remember that the Business Council’s submission to the Henry Tax Review made similar calls to reign in pensions and assistance for low-income earners. Meanwhile, they’ve only been too happy to call for corporate tax cuts that would benefit their end of town. They also seem to forget (or ignore) the numerous loop-holes and breaks in areas such as

superannuation, real estate and other investments, as well as corporate subsidies and tax write-offs that disproportionately advantage high-income earners. In an interview with ABC Radio, Business Council president Graham Bradley said that the Australian Government needed to find ways to stop more people getting a DSP and getting disability support pensioners off it and into the workforce. “If you look at what countries overseas are doing … for example in the UK, they are taking a really hard look to make sure there aren’t people currently incentivised to be on disability pensions who really would be much better off going back to work, even if it is only part-time or less rigorous work.” CPSA really doesn’t understand this argument that people with disability have an incentive to be on the pension and not working. Whenever did the DSP become such a generous payment that people would prefer it over a meaningful job? The issue that really

should be raised is what efforts is the Business Council making to ensure that its members are employing people with disability? People with disability face a much higher rate of unemployment than the wider community and this is despite that fact that in most instances, employing a person with disability does not cost the employer more than employing a person who does not have a disability.

Don’t forget, too, that most DSP recipients are aged over 50 and face other barriers to work such as age discrimination.

It’s all well and good to say “Being a long-term unemployed person is not good for people’s psychology - it is not good for their health, it is not good for their recovery.” But if this is not backed-up with proactive measures that assist people back into the workforce, such claims against the pension become nothing more than cheap rhetoric which perpetuates the stereotype that people with a disability are welfare cheats.

Cutting off the nose to spite the face

FEW doubt that people affected by the recent floods need as much help as they can get to rebuild. But some of the funding cuts planned by the Australian Government to partly fund the flood assistance package are questionable, particularly the cut to the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). The NRAS provides grants to housing developers to construct homes on the basis that they’re rented at a 20% reduced rate. In a letter to the major political parties, CPSA questioned the wisdom of cutting this program at a time of such widespread housing stress not to mention that the floods have left many homeless. The Australian Greens picked up on CPSA’s and others’ concerns, calling for the Government to reconsider the cut, which would reduce the number of homes constructed under the scheme by 15,000. “The Australian Council of Social Service, National Shelter, the National Affordable Housing Summit, the Housing Industry Association, the Community Housing Federation of Australia, Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association and former ANZ Chief Economist Saul Eslake have condemned the cut,” said Greens Senator Scott Ludlum. “While $264 million only represents 4.7% of the projected reconstruction costs in Queensland, it is 26.4% of the entire NRAS budget.” Senator Ludlum called for the cuts to be made

CPSA Campaigns

10 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

CPSA Campaignselsewhere. “Deferring the top end corporate tax cuts planned for July 1 2013, while keeping the tax cuts for small business, would net the government about $1.7 billion in the forward estimates - that is more than six times the amount to be cut from NRAS,” he said.

**STOP PRESS**Following pressure by organisations including CPSA and negotiations with the Greens to pass the flood levy, the Government has restored the funding to the NRAS. The funding will not be cut; rather deferred to 2015.

Beware a financial predator is coming to get yaBy CPSA’s Older Persons Tenants Service

OLDER Persons Tenants Service (OPTS) was contacted by Jamal, a very distraught 70 year old who spoke limited English. She was not a tenant but was seeking any assistance she

could get. She had never had a legal problem in her life. She had a $65,000 investment share portfolio (her life savings) and when it matured, transferred it to her large local bank. Before her investment was transferred, she received a letter from Direct Share Purchasing Corporation Pty Ltd (DSPC). She thought this company was a subsidiary company of her large local bank. At the bottom of this letter was a tear off section. She tore this section off, signed it and posted it to DSPC. She received a letter from DPSC confirming the sale of her investment portfolio to them for a much smaller amount than $65,000.She and her local bank contacted DSPC many times to cancel her acceptance of DSPC’s offer. DSPC wrote to her stating that by accepting their offer, she was legally bound to comply with their contract

and they would not accept any withdrawals of their offer. A further letter told her to comply with the contract otherwise legal action for breach of contract would commence at Melbourne Magistrates Court. DSPC posts an offer to investors, especially shareholders. The offer is to purchase their investment for much less money than what

it is worth. Some of these people who accept the offer are unfamiliar with trading shares or, as in Jamal’s case, are otherwise very vulnerable. It is unknown if Legal Aid NSW can assist Jamal by finding any grounds to rescind the contract. So if you receive such offers from companies you do not know about, always obtain legal advice before doing anything.

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INCOME SECURITY

CentrelinkAge Pension 13 23 00

DSP/Carer benefits 13 27 17Family Assistance 13 61 50

Welfare Rights CentreInfo on Government pensions

and other benefits9211 5300

1800 226 028

National Information Centre on Retirement InvestmentsAnything for the small investor and people wondering about

super or how to invest1800 020 110

Financial Ombudsman Services

Complaints about banking, insurance, super, financial

planning 1300 780 808

Industry Fund FinancialPlanning

1300 138 848

Australian Taxation OfficeSuper/Lost super 13 10 20

Personal tax 13 28 61

British Pensions inAustralia

Assistance in claiming the British Pension(02) 9521 79641300 308 353

No Interest Loans Scheme1800 509 994

RIGHTS

Australian Human Rights Commission

Complaints about discrimination and

harassment 1300 369 711

Commonwealth Ombudsman

Complaints about Federal Government departments and

agencies 1300 362 072

NSW Ombudsman’s Office Complaints about NSW Government agencies

1800 451 524

NSW Trustee and Guardian1300 360 466

Guardianship TribunalFinancial management orders

for people with decision-making disabilities

1800 463 928

Seniors Information Service13 12 44

Consumer Trader & Tenancy Tribunal

Tenancy, trader and consumer disputes13 32 20

Energy & Water Ombudsman (EWON)

Complaints about all NSW electricity/gas retailers and Sydney and Hunter Water

1800 246 545

TelecommunicationsIndustry Ombudsman

Phone and internet complaints 1800 062 058

GOODS AND SERVICE

Telstra Pensioner DiscountFor basic plans only

1800 353 652

NSW Seniors CardDiscounts on goods and services 1300 364 758

NSW Companion CardFree event admission for

companions of eligible people with a disability 1800 893 044

HEALTH AND CARE

Commonwealth CareLinkInfo about aged and

community care 1800 052 222

Office of Hearing ServicesSubsidised hearing aids

1800 500 726

Dementia Helpline1800 100 500

Single-gender Ward Hotline For patients who wish

to be placed in a single-gender ward after 24hrs

hospitalisation1800 700 830

VisionCare NSWSubsidised spectacles

(02) 9344 41221800 806 851

Home Care Service NSWDomestic assistance, respite

and personal care 1800 044 043

Rape Crisis Centre24hours/7days 1800 424 017

Health Care Complaints Commission

NSW only 9219 74441800 043 159

Carers NSWInformation, support

1800 242 636Emergency respite

1800 059 059

Aged care information lineResidential and community

aged care information1800 500 853

Aged Care Complaints Scheme

Complaints about residential and community aged care

1800 550 552

LifelineMental health support,

suicide prevention 13 11 14

Beyond BlueDepression and anxiety

information 1300 224 636

Public Dental Health Services

Call NSW Health for details9391 9000

1800 639 398

Medicare Enhanced Primary Care Dental Scheme

Call Medicare for details132 011

People with DisabilitiesAdvice for people with a

disability9370 3100

1800 422 016

Exit AustraliaInformation about euthanasia

1300 103 948

Dying with Dignity NSW02 9212 4782

Australian Men’s Shed

Association 1300 550 009

HOUSING

CPSA’s Older Persons Tenants’ Service (OPTS)

Individual advocacy9566 1120

1800 131310

CPSA’s Park and Village Service (PAVS)

Individual advocacy for caravan parks and

manufactured homes villages9566 1010

1800 177 688

NSW Department of Housing

Info and applications1800 629 212

Tenants Advice LineMondays 3-6pm1800 251 101

LEGAL

The Aged-care Rights Service including Older Persons’ Legal ServiceAged care and retirement

village advocacy and information and legal advice

for older people.9281 3600

1800 424 079

Law AccessReferrals for legal help

1300 888 529

The Law SocietySolicitor and legal firm

referrals9926 0300

1800 422 713

Community Justice Centres Dispute resolution services for minor matters 9228 7455

Domestic Violence Advocacy Service

1800 200 526

Family Relationship Centres Relationship and separation information 1800 050 321

Office of the Legal Services Commissioner

Complaints about lawyers and conveyancers 1800 242 958

CPSA Information Directory

12 March 2011 THE VOICE OF PENSIONERS AND SUPERANNUANTS OF NSW

Giggle Page

Crossword SolutionsCrossword on page 4

Pirate problems

A pirate and his brother had not met in years. When they finally met once again, the brother was shocked at the state the pirate was in.“Oh my gosh, what happened to your hand!?! ”The pirate said, “I lost it in a sword fight , but now I have a

hook.”Then the brother asked, “ And what about your leg?”“A cannonball hit it, but now I have a peg leg,” replied the

pirate.“Well, what about your eye?” asked the brother in

amazement.The pirate said, “I got some dust in it.”The brother, surprised, asked, “How could you lose your

eye by just getting some dust in it?”The pirate responded, “Well, it was my first day with my

hook!”

Come fly with me

Taxiing down the tarmac, the 747 abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After a two hour delay, it finally took off.Barry, a worried passenger asked the steward, ‘What was

the problem?’‘The pilot was bothered by a noise he heard in the en-

gine,’ explained the flight attendant, ‘and it took us a while to find a new pilot.’

Musical Instrument Jokes

What do 4 trombones sound like at the bottom of the sea?A good idea!

What is the range of a tuba? Twenty yards, if you’ve got a good arm.

What´s the difference between a free jazz trumpet player and a terrorist? The terrorist has sympathisers.

How do you get a guitar player to play softer? Give him a sheet of music. How do you make him stop playing? Put notes on it!

Why do bagpipe players march when they play? To try to get away from the sound.

What is the difference between a clarinet and an onion?People cry when you chop up an onion.

How do you get two piccolo players to play in unison? Shoot one.

What is the difference between a lawnmower and a sax?The neighbours don’t mind if you don’t return the sax when you borrow it.

Johnny says to his mum, “I want to be a drummer when I grow up.” His mum responds, “But Johnny, you can’t do both.”

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