PENSIONS BURDEN
INQUIRY IN' AUSTRALIA. ; SYDNEY, September, 15. Behind tffie decision of the Federal (Government to investigate the P O -^ 1 " bjlity of. devising a new- , schetn 6 fot providing old age,.and inyalid pensions js. a desire to, remove these pensions entirely from, political control. .Much .time has already been spent by. the Cabinet in , discussing this, question, which is surrounded., by,; fO many,-diffi-culties that .it is impossible 6<>r Ministers to, formulate any concrete proposals without full inquiry. Th'e sug;gestion of member, of the Gover-iir m.ent Party to regulate the fate of pension in acßbrSance with the cost of living figures lkiis been, (Ministers, bul' is Regarded as impracticable, An putstanding. objection to this Bias been .raised by,.the which points out , the difficulties of budgeting on the basis of a pensionscheme for >which the Government s liability is likely to fluctuate considerably from 1 quairter to quarter. No Treasurer, in preparing his Budget is likely to be gifted with sufficient psychic powers to enable him .to forecast the variations in the cost of living. There is a general feeling in ’Ministerial circles .that, the increasing burden of the old age and invalid pensions hill is getting beyond the abil'ty of the Federaltaxpayers to bear,- am .that it .might be ,-possible to inftitntf' a contributory- system, .. The Cabinet has nqt< yet decided,, whether .the • p r o! po f sed inquiry,, a 'Royal Coni|gion, a Parliamentary ■Committea, an I£xpert Oommittee, including ou.tf mental Committee. A Royal Commission; is-,-.not favoured by a section o r the Ministry on the ground of expense and .the possibility that , the Government’s prestige might' suffer if it a P pointsj?.too many Royal Commission©. It is recalled that the Royal , Com : mission appointed . .by the. Brucp-Pagr Government to investigate national , insurance sat for- about two years; was unduly expensive, and produced sueb a complicated. and comprehens'ro scheme that, th©, Government, of the d,oy was -wot enthusiastic, about going rhea/' .with. it. Even- the ambitious proposes of] this Royal 'Commission did not in--elude, a. substitute, for the present old age. and,. invalid pensions scheme which > it. was in tended., should a not be, interfered with. The Ministry ha© ideas* I of a National Proyidept. Fund, hei.hg established for the benefit iof aged and permanently. dnyalidecT, persons,,, W&° should contribute to this scheme, arm on,, what basis > are questions,.calling for; an exhaustive inquiry.
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Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1932, Page 8
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394PENSIONS BURDEN Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1932, Page 8
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