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Women make up more than half-56 per cent-the Australian population aged over 65 and almost 70 per cent of those aged over 85. Recognising the enormous contribution of older women to the Australian community, the Government is taking practical steps to ensure that women can plan for an active and rewarding old age. Financial security in older age is a key issue for women, particularly for those who have taken time out from paid employment for parenting or other responsibilities, through measures such as:
The Government will restore war widows pension to approximately 3,000 widows who remarried prior to May 1984 and therefore lost eligibility to their war widows pension as a consequence. This measure addresses a long-standing anomaly and ensures that all war widows will be treated in a fair and consistent manner.
The Government will provide a one-off payment of $25,000 each to Australian Defence Force veterans who were held as prisoners of war of Japan and Australian civilian detainees of the Japanese, or people who were at one time their widow or widower. The measure recognises the unique hardships endured by prisoners of war of the Japanese. It will cost $247.8 million and will be made as far as possible in 2000-01. The payment itself will be non-taxable, be exempt under the lump sum testing rules and be an exempt asset under the assets test, but the deeming rules will apply.
The Government has adjusted the pensioner rebate, low income aged person's rebate and Medicare levy threshold to ensure that single senior Australians with incomes up to $20,000 are completely free from tax, effective from the 2000-01 income year. For couples, the new effective tax-free threshold is up to $32,612. These rebates cut out at $37,840 for singles and $29,122 for each member of a couple such that all eligible persons with incomes up to these amounts will pay less tax as a result of these measures.
The Government will give a one-off payment of $300 to around 2.2 million income support customers of age pension age, including service pensioners over age service pension age (56½ for women and 60 for men). The payment will provide additional assistance to older people and an immediate stimulus to spending in the economy. No means test is required for the payment and it will not be taxable. Income support customers will not have to lodge a claim to get the payment; it will be paid to them automatically before 1 July 2001.
Up to a further 30,000 people, who are outside the personal income tax and social security systems, and are of age pension age, are expected to claim the $300 through a separate process. These people are not covered by the above measure and are not in a position to benefit from changes to the tax-free thresholds because of the level of taxable income. Claims will be able to be made through Centrelink from July.
The income limits for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) will be increased as part of the 2001-02 Budget. The income limits for singles will be increased from $41,000 per annum to $50,000 and from $68,676 to $80,000 per annum for couples (combined). This will mean that an additional 40,000 self-funded retirees will have access to reduced prices for pharmaceuticals and Telephone Allowance of $17.20 per quarter. Centrelink will assess claims and issue cards (although a very small number will be issued by the Department of Veterans' Affairs).
The Government will extend Telephone Allowance, currently available for pensioners, to self-funded retirees who qualify for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC). Self funded retirees of age pension age who hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will now be able to claim a Telephone Allowance of $17.20 per quarter. In addition, the Commonwealth will negotiate with State and Territory governments to extend to CSHC holders some or all of the concessions that are available to pensioners and certain allowees.
The aged care measures announced in the 2001-02 Budget build on five years achievement in providing quality residential and community care to older Australians.
The Government will spend $24.3 million over four years on measures that will build on and extend this framework by recognising the particular needs of older people from culturally diverse backgrounds, helping people to stay at home longer, manage better and feel more secure. Additional support will also be provided to older people living in the community, including continuation of the Safe at Home pilot, which provides personal alert systems to frail older people through enhanced Day Therapy Centres. Women comprise the majority of older people living in their own homes in the community, and in aged care homes, all of whom will benefit from these measures.
Women comprise 72 per cent of residents in aged care homes. The Government has substantially increased funding for residential aged care to ensure that Australia has an aged care system that offers high care standards, has the confidence of the community and is responsive to community needs. The outlay in the 2001-02 financial year is expected to be $4.2 billion. This is an increase of $1.7 billion or 68 per cent over the 1995-96 expenditure of $2.5 billion.
The Government will spend $28.8 million over four years on measures to ensure that care standards in residential aged care homes are maintained, a robust quality assurance and complaints handling system is in place and working effectively, and that the community is able to make informed decisions about residential aged care options.
The Government will spend $5.0 million in 2001-02 to promote ongoing care for aged care residents in rural and urban fringe areas of Australia by providing grants to smaller aged care homes which face particular challenges in improving business processes and infrastructure to continue to meet accreditation requirements. Funding will continue for the restructuring programme, including: