SUPERANNUATION FOR ALL

Chronicle (Levin), 6 March 1947, Page 5

SUPERANNUATION FOR ALL

Press Assn ,■

Australia Tbinb the Means Test 1$ Unfair

SCHEME NOW BEING EXAMINEP

By Telegravh

rCapyright

Received Wednesday, 10.10 p.m. CANBHRRA, March 5. A CommonwealthAvide schenie of retiring allovvances for evcry Australian citizen will be examinr ed by tlie Government. This has oeen promised by Mr. Ghifley to uiembers of the Parliamentary ..a bour Party. Points of the scheme will im dnde the evenlual abolition of the means test and the winding up of all superannuation and private pension schemes. Members who aave been agitating for the easing of the means test, kave aceepted Mr. Chifley ?s promise with euthusiasm. Mr. Chifley is understood to have told caucus that if , he scheme were adopted it would .nean the end of Government superannuation for public servants. Persons entitled to superannuation or to pensions arranged throug'h pi'ivate firms, would be -ntitled to a lump sum fqr payments they liad already made into ;hese funds. The advantage of the scheme would be that the people would no longer be tied to jolis for a speciiied number of years. No in'die.ation was given by Mr. Chifley of what extra strain the scheme would place on the public flnances but members were given ihe impression that it would not cost a great deal more than it now iosts the Treasury in pensions. Iii an editoi-ial headed /'Hope Pawns for Means Tested, " the Sydney Sun eomments: "Under Ihe plan which the Government is now mvestigating, all Australian citizons, regard] ess..of their means or snvings, will roceive a retiring allowanee and not a pension when they reach a certain age. There can l)e 110 justification for any other system which treats social benefits as a dole, restricts old age 1 o a pittance and punishes thrift. The means test rewards a man who has wasted his earnings all his life but penalises the man who has tried to save and who has paid social taxes over thany years. The Government will earn nothing but gratitude from e.very citizen if it puts a stop to this unfair and crtiel system as (iiviekly as possible.