NEWS

CHANGES TO AGED CARE

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:26:00 GMT

John has just revised the BERIA factsheet on Aged Care to take into account the changes which came into effect on 20 March.

The changes apply to those who enter aged care homes after 20 March, and the main fee changes are as follows:

The Basic Daily Care Fee for self-funded retirees (including 410 visa holders) for both low and high care homes is now fixed at 85% of the annual single basic age pension. This equates to $32.05 a day (this is a reduction from the previous cost of $39.28 a day!).

The Income-Tested Daily Fee is based on a sliding scale based on income over $684.60 a fortnight. If your income is below $684.60 a fortnight ($17,800 a year) there's no income-tested daily fee, but if it's over that there's a sliding scale up to a maximum of $56.57 a day (the old maximum was $55.28).

The "allowable assets" amount has increased from $33,500 to $34,500 – this is used to calculate the accommodation bond for low care homes. The upper income limit for calculating the sliding scale accommodation charge for high care homes has increased to $90,410, and the maximum accommodation charge has increased to $26.88 a day.

The maximum daily fee for short-term respite care in government funded aged care homes has increased from $30.77 to $32.05 a day. All these changes have been included in the new version of the factsheet, and new example costs have also been included.

John says he still cannot speak too highly of staff of the Aged and Community Care Information Line – everyone he has spoken to there in the course of the research has been incredibly helpful, friendly and knowledgeable, and if anyone needs further information after reading the factsheet he recommends contacting the Information Line. Actual revised factsheet to follow.

To find the factsheet go to the 410 Useful files, or click here, or log in and go to the BERIA Files

SYDNEY LUNCH SOCIAL No.6

Sat, 03 May 2008 15:01:00 GMT

Jenny McLean reports:

Our 6th Sydney lunch today was very successful with 24 410'ers attending.

We have now met over 40 members at the various lunches, but of course not all can manage to attend every lunch. It is a great way to get to now each other and exchange views.

(A good time seems to have been had by all; and the food looks good, too! Barbara)

LINKS

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:51:00 GMT

If you need to look up a telephone number either here or in the UK, then you can find the appropriate link to the White Pages websites on the LINKS page of this website, under the heading OTHER USEFUL LINKS.

MEDIA RELEASE FROM FEDERAL OPPOSITION FOR IMMIGRATION

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:03:00 GMT

The following media release can be found here on the Liberal Party Website. For confidentiality, please make any comments you have on the Members Only page of this website.

Barbara

Tue, 29th April 2008

Temporary Retirement 410 Visa holders

Senator the Hon Christopher Ellison
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate

Temporary Retirement 410 Visa holders should be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

The Coalition Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Ellison today called on the Rudd Government to enable Temporary Retirement 410 Visa holders to apply for permanent residency.

Many 410 Visa holders are highly skilled yet they are restricted to just 20 hours of work per week due to the restrictions on their temporary visa.

“As permanent residents there will no restrictions on workforce participation and this will be of benefit to the labour market, the Australian economy and individual,” said Senator Ellison.

A number of these visa holders have a strong involvement in community and volunteer activities. Again the nature of the visa restricts the number of hours that the individual can commit. Some of these visa holders have been recognised for their service to volunteer fire fighting and ambulance services.

“Individuals with such a strong commitment to the community should not be restricted in the contribution they can make, it is also fitting that we acknowledge their commitment to our nation,” said Senator Ellison.

“Having lived in Australia for several years these visa holders have a strong commitment to our nation and wish to live in Australia for the remainder of their lives as a permanent resident, not a temporary visa holder who is subject to the uncertainty visa renewal requirements,” said Senator Ellison.

Currently persons who reside in Australia on a Temporary Retirement 410 Visa are unable to apply for permanent residency. This is a small group of people with a high commitment to Australia who are restricted in the contribution they can make to our nation as result of being unable to apply for a permanent visa.

REPORT OF 410 VISA FORUM HELD IN KALAMUNDA, W.A. 17 APRIL 2008

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:07:00 GMT

This is just to let you know that John's full report of the forum is on the Member's Only page of this website.

Sharryn Jackson, the Hon. Chris Evans, Nita and David Sadler

SUMMARY OF THE MEETING WITH CHRIS EVANS - Full Report on Members Only Page

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:28:00 GMT

Notes from the BERIA Meeting with the Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris Evans (8 April 2008)

Chris Evans confirmed he is keen to find a “pathway to citizenship” for 410 visa holders, and that the cost issue, as seen by the Treasury, is the main hurdle. He seemed impressed by BERIA as an effective lobbying group, with an increasing and dedicated membership that “seems to be in evidence everywhere I go”.

Chris clarified the issue of a permanent visa with a separate set of conditions (eg the maintenance of private health insurance) saying that he had agreed with the advice from his Department that that permanent residence should offer the same benefits to all, and not differentiate any particular group.

I added information about the changes in the tax rules which had been raised in a previous meeting he had with AIR last week. We understand that the changes apply to all temporary visa holders, and that while we can provide detailed estimates of additional potential tax income (using BERIA database information) we would expect him to use this, and any other information we might be able to provide on financial benefits, only as part of our case to offset or minimise the potential health and welfare costs, and not in isolation. Initial very crude estimates are in the region of $47 to $50 million a year but this is likely to be a conservative figure.

On potential health costs ($40 million a year?) I assured him that we had had a 100% response to continuing with health insurance in the event of permanent residence which will significantly reduce the overall figure, and also gave him figures on those who wanted to join the workforce and work more than 20 hours a week (and details of their job skills and qualifications – many of which are in the list of jobs in demand).

Chris saw no logic in the work restrictions, and promised to look into these, as he saw any additions to the workforce as a positive benefit to Australia. Chris has already proposed to the Treasury minor enhancements to the visa which may ease a couple of the visa conditions, although he stressed that the proposals may not be approved, and would, in any case, be minor. While we appreciate any improvements in the short term, our main aim is permanent residence, and hope that his proposals for enhancements are seen as part of the wider process of assessing the possibility of permanent residence!

We still have more work to do on private health insurance and on welfare costs, and on the phasing in of costs. BERIA at this stage is not making proposals for permanent residence based on a specific qualifying period, but would be prepared to discuss a range of options. If a qualifying period were to become a requirement, additional research from the BERIA database will highlight the impact this might have on spreading the costs over a period of time, as we have accurate figures on age groups and length of residence in Australia.

Chris seemed fairly impressed by the detail and accuracy and availability of the data he has received from us so far, and will continue to query the latest figures on 410 visa holders in the country which seem to have reversed the previous downward trend since the closure of the visa to new applicants three years ago.

Conclusion & Next Steps

The campaign for permanent residence will continue to be an uphill struggle, especially with the Treasury, but today’s meeting was a very positive and constructive one, and moved things forward in a practical way, identifying and agreeing clearly defined next steps.

· Chris explained that his plan is to have enough information to present a case for permanent residence for 410 visa holders prior to next year’s Budget.

· We will provide him with a detailed assessment of potential costs, together with any compensating income and other benefits, including specific cost projections based on data from official sources, and income projections based on accurate and verifiable information from the BERIA database.

· We will seek a follow up meeting with him to discuss these figures and the next steps.

John Wittering

8 April 2008

REPORT OF THE COMMUNITY CABINET MEETING - Narangba 2 March 2008

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:32:00 GMT

To read or download the full report of the meeting please go to the Members Only News page.

THE TEAM AT NERANGBA

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:02:00 GMT

In the top photo is a photo of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Special Minister of State John Faulkner facing the community. (AAP Image: Dave Hunt)

COMMUNITY CABINET MEETING - Nerangba 2 March 2008

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:59:00 GMT

The good news is that Barbara Mather heard today that she and 4 others have been granted a 10 minute interview with the Immigration Minister, Chris Evans at the meeting on Sunday. I do hope that as many of you who live on the Sunshine Coast can get along to hear and see the event. Perhaps you could write and short report on what occurs for this website.

AVA HUBBLE ARTICLE - More than £10 Poms these days

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:15:00 GMT

Ava Hubble wrote to me yesterday to tell me that her article is now been published; many of you would have seen it in this week's Weekly Telegraph and the Telegraph on line

You may recall that earlier on this year Ava approached me about writing an article about the cost of parents being reunited with their children here in Australia and she then discovered that many of them come here on the 410 visa, hence she then took on board all the effects that had on their emigration.

MUSIC FILES

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:02:00 GMT

Feel like some soothing music whilst you browse? Then curser down the right hand column until you reach the Music File Module.

IS THE IMMIGRATION MINISTER PLAYING GOD?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:29:00 GMT

IMMIGRATION Minister Chris Evans says he has too much power and feels uncomfortable about "playing God'' on individual migration cases.

Senator Evans told an upper house committee today there had been a big increase in ministerial intervention in migration decisions during the Howard government.

Section 501 of the Migration Act allows the minister to cancel or refuse a person a visa on character grounds.

This was the section used by former immigration minister Kevin Andrews to revoke the visa of Dr Mohamed Haneef, after the former Gold Coast hospital registrar was granted bail on a terrorism charge which was later dropped.

Senator Evans said ministerial intervention in individual migration cases had become the norm in recent years and, in some cases, people had no appeal rights.

"I have formed the view that I have too much power,'' he told the senate's legal and constitutional affairs committee.

"The act is unlike any other act I've seen in terms of the power given to the minister to make decisions about individual cases.

"I am uncomfortable with that, not just because of concern about playing God, but also because of the lack of transparency and accountability for those decisions.

"The lack in some cases of any appeal rights against those decisions and the fact that what I thought was to be a power that was to be used in rare cases has become very much the norm.''

There was now an "industry'' in people appealing to the minister in migration cases when this power had been originally intended to be merely a check on the system.

Senator Evans said he was considering an ombudsman's report that called for reform to ministerial power, especially the minister's ability to revoke the visas of long-term permanent residents in Australia.

This followed concern about the Howard government's deportation of Robert Jovicic, who was born to Serbian parents but held permanent residency in Australia.

Despite having never lived in Serbia and not speaking the language, Mr Jovicic was deported to Serbia in June 2004 after committing a string of offences in Australia and having his residency rights revoked by former immigration minister Philip Ruddock.

After a long battle to return to Australia, Mr Jovicic was granted a two-year protection visa in February last year.

Article by The Daily Telegraph

REMINDER

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:39:00 GMT

Don't forget to visit the MEMBERS ONLY NEWS page.

UK FROZEN PENSIONS - ACTION BY MAL WASHER, MP

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:37:00 GMT

The BAPA newsletter has reported the following:

It seems that there is good news from West Australian's Federal Member for Moore Dr. Mal Washer.

A strong supporter of UK pensioners living in Australia, Dr Washer, a Liberal, has written to UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking him to personally explain why he refuses to uprate the SERP (State Earnings Related Pension) that remains frozen to many ex-pats since arriving in Australia. Dr Washer has for many years been critical of the UKs past intrasigence and we offer him our heartfelt thanks in his endeavours.

I wonder if he will get a reply, and if so, what it will be?

CITIZENSHIP TEST

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:59:00 GMT

If we are ever successful in our mission to achieve Citizenship we will be required to take the Citizenship Test, so maybe we had better get in training. Have a look at this and see how you do in an instant Sample test.

Download the .pdf document called "Becoming an Australian Citizen" here.

CURTIN FM BROADCAST - NITA SADLER SEGMENT

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:32:00 GMT

If you would like to hear the W.A. radio broadcast that has helped to highlight the 410 visa problems then go to the Members News page on this site. You will not have to log on, so if you are not a member you can still hear it.

THIS SITE

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This site now has 10 pages some of which are accessible to the public others to members only.

BERIA 410 HOME PAGE - Public

MEMBERS ONLY NEWS - Members only

MESSAGE PAGE - Members only

410 DISCUSSION FORUM - Members only

410 USEFUL FILES - Members only

GENERAL DISCUSSION FORUM - Members only

LINKS - Public and Members only

VIDEOS - Public

GALLERY - Public

ADMINISTRATION ONLY - Administration only

REPORT OF THE MEETING OF 410 VISA HOLDERS WITH FEDERAL MP SHARRYN JACKSON

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:48:00 GMT

To read the full report of the meeting of 410 visa holders with Sharryn Jackson, MP, go to the MEMBERS ONLY NEWS PAGE.

GOOGLE SEARCH

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:57:00 GMT

As a matter of interest I discovered that if I type in BERIA 410 in the Google Search Engine, the Yahoo site and this one come up first and second on the first page!

SENATORS AND MP's

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:28:00 GMT

Do you want to find out who is representing your community in Federal Parliament or the Senate? Click on the Links page and you will find a link to the Lower and Upper Houses.