PM Transcripts

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6P. M., SUNDAY 5 NOVEMBER
FOR PRESS: PM. No. 94/ 1972
PENSION AGREEMENT WITH ITALY
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon.
William McMahon, C. H. MP.
Agreement has been reached between the Australian and Italian
Governments to allow Australian pensioners to continue to receive
their pensions while in Italy.
The Prime Minister, Mr McMahon, announcing this today, said
the agreement applied equally to people born in Australia and those
born overseas, but it was expected to be especially welcomed by
older people who wished to return to or visit their country of birth
after living many years in Australia.
Mr McMahon said the agreement applied to age, invalid and
widows' pensions. In many cases Australian pensions would be paid
after a person had lived in Australia for twenty years. However,
where the person became an invalid or widow pensioner while living
in Australia, this twenty year period would not apply.
Corresponding Italian pensions can already be paid in Australia.
The Prime Minister said the agreement would add to the already
strong relations between Italy and Australia. The two countries
would look at the possibility of extending reciorocity into other
areas of social services in the future.
Mr McMahon also announced that reciprocal agreements on
P~ ension portability also had been reached with the Governments of
Greece, Turkey and Malta.
In each case Australian pensioners would be able to live in
these countries and continue to receive pensions, and pensioners from
these countries coLld continue to receive their homeland pension if
they came to Australia.
CANBERRA, November, 1972