Super lost and franking credits wasted
Published 22 November 2019
During the great franking credit debate much was made of retail and industry funds' ability to still fully utilise franking credits, something your typical SMSF would not have been able to do had the new policy been implemented. Turns out retail and industry funds can't as a rule be bothered with franking credits and anything to do with income tax. [more]
Advance Care Directive pitfalls
Published 22 November 2019
Doctors tend not to be all that keen on Advance Care Directives. It is prudent to assume that they will take any excuse to ignore your Advance Care Directive if they think they have a better idea.
Government missing in aged care action for 20 years: Royal Commission fails to tell us ‘how come?’
Published 31 October 2019
The Aged Care Royal Commission’s Interim Report published today is very clear about the fact that successive Governments have done nothing to fix the very serious and grave problems afflicting aged care for well over twenty years, but the Interim Report fails to identify the reasons for Government inaction. [more]
NSW Deputy Premier calls on Federal Government to reconsider position on Newstart
Published 24 October 2019
Minister John Barilaro has suggested the Federal Government reconsider their position on Newstart today at NCOSS’s 'Putting Regional Needs on the Map' event and he has CPSA's support.
60,000 will die waiting for home care: forward estimates
Published 24 October 2019
Approximately half the home care waiting list will die waiting for care even though the numbers on it have fallen for the first time. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of packages remain in administrative limbo.
Financial collapse of nursing home industry narrowly averted
Published 24 October 2019
The Australian Government cut $2 billion out of residential aged care, then hastily gave some of that money back to avoid tens of thousands of frail and elderly being turfed out onto the street.
Royal Commission: nursing home staffing light years behind the rest of the world
Published 24 October 2019
A RESEARCH paper by the Aged Care Royal Commission has found that residential aged care in Australia is grossly understaffed when compared internationally and that the majority of nursing homes provide bad care. Please note: that's the Royal Commission saying it, not CPSA for a change. [more]
The not-a-retirement-income review
Published 24 October 2019
The Australian Government has fearlessly announced an independent review of retirement income policy settings, but has at the same time re-assured those affected that absolutely no changes will occur as a result of this review.
Minister: people on the dole are druggies and alkies
Published 24 October 2019
A Social Services Minister not suggesting, but actually saying that people on Newstart waste their money on illegal drugs and alcohol? Yep, this is Australia, which is about to introduce drug and alcohol testing for the unfortunate people who rely on Newstart for survival. [more]
Rent assistance must be increased: Productivity Commission
Published 24 October 2019
If even the Productivity Commission is saying that Commonwealth Rent Assistance should be increased, then things are dire!
NSW Pensioner council rebate is here to stay – for now
Published 24 October 2019
The NSW Government portrays itself as a staunch defender of the Pensioner Council Rate Rebate, which hasn't been indexed for close to a quarter of a century.
Default electricity contracts provide savings
Published 24 October 2019
Action on default electricity contracts may be tinkering at the edges at a time when energy prices are sky high, but consumers can save.
Despite changes funeral insurance still a rip off
Published 24 October 2019
There are two types of funeral insurance: funeral life insurance policies and funeral expenses policies. Both are bad ideas and should be avoided.
GPs shake their heads and develop their own nursing home standards
Published 26 September 2019
The Government’s new-broom aged care standards are so good, wonderful, brilliant and comprehensive, GPs have decided to develop their own standards.
GPs and pharmacists fight it out
Published 26 September 2019
DOCTORS wanting to be pharmacists and pharmacists wanting to be doctors, that’s the turf war currently exercising minds at the Pharmacy Guild and the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
Say ‘No’ to the mindless welfare card
Published 26 September 2019
A cashless welfare card and drug testing for recipients costing more than the very modest increase Newstart campaigners are asking for: sanity’s gone missing.
$800 pensioner bonus? Deeming changes from 20 September
Published 26 September 2019
The $800 pensioner bonus that never was! Changes to the deeming rates have been getting pensioners’ hopes up, but only 119 households actually received it.
More niggly savings at the expense of older Australians
Published 26 September 2019
Value-added taxes and sales taxes like the GST are pretty common overseas, but pensioners will have to do without their GST pension supplement if they go overseas for longer than six weeks. And there’s more …
Parramatta nursing home does some backsliding
Published 26 September 2019
Pick up a dis-accredited nursing home up for a song and then let quality and safety slide. Is Anglican Community Services going the same way as a industry leper Bupa?
RN 24/7 for one more year
Published 26 September 2019
NSW sits on its hands as the Aged Care Royal Commission works its way through staffing requirements at nursing homes. A victory of sorts only for advocates
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