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FOR MEDIA 2 March 1984
On behalf of the Minister for Social Security, Senator Grimes,
and the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Senator Gietzelt, I am
pleased to announce the membership of the panel of community
representatives to advise the Government on how best to achieve
its objective of ensuring that expenditure on pensions is
directed to those most in need.
The Chairman of the Panel will be Professor Fred Gruen, Head
of the Economics Department, Research School of Social Sciences,
Australian National University.
The other members of the Panel are:
Mark Johnson
Sir William Keys, OBE, MC
Bruce McKenzie
Jim Priest
Philippa Smith
Dr. George Smolicz
Joyce Thurgood Managing Director, Australian Bank
Limited National President, The Returned
Services League of Australia
President, Australian Council of
Social Service
National Secretary, Australian
Pensioners' Federation
Chairperson, National Advisory Council
on Social Welfare; Consultant to
the NSW Department of Health
Reader in Education, Adelaide University;
Commissioner South Australian Ethnic
Affairs Commission
National President, Association of
Civilian Widows
A representative of the Australian Council-of Trade Unions, to
be named
Consultant to the Panel: Bruce Paul, Manager of Actuarial
Division, AMP
The terms of reference for the review are attached. / 2
2.
We have told the Chairman of the Panel, Professor Gruen, that
we wish to consider their recommendations as soon as possible.
The Government looks forward to being able to give effect
through legislation to the overwhelming community support for
the principle that expenditure on pensions should be directed
to those most in need, and not be dissipated on those who do not
need such assistance.
As Federal Cabinet noted in its decision on February 23, 1984 it
is important that community confusion and uncertainty about who
would be adversely affected by the assets test in the proposed
legislation, should be replaced by wider understanding and
confidence that the legislation most appropriately reflects the
principle in the fairest and most equitable manner. I I