Most of the following achievements resulted from unified action by retiree organisations pursuing similar issues to those pursued by ACPSRO. Whereas most relate specifically to Commonwealth superannuants, some achievements benefited Australia’s wider retiree population. It’s important to note that despite the elapsed time since several of the following achievements occurred, their benefits have both an enduring and compounding effect.
Note: Copies of our past submissions can be found here
Submission to and appearance before a 2001 Senate Inquiry into the indexation of Commonwealth, including military, defined benefit pensions.
Whilst successive Governments have refused to adopt that Inquiry’s recommendations for fair pension indexation for all civilian Commonwealth superannuants and some military superannuants, the Inquiry accepted the claims made by ACPSRO, other retiree organisations and individuals that Commonwealth and State superannuants’ standard of living was slipping due to CPI pension indexation. Further, the then Government did adopt that Inquiry’s recommendation to index pensions twice a year rather than annually. That of course has a lasting and compounding benefit.
Submission to and appearance before a 2002 Senate Inquiry, “Superannuation and Standards of Living in Retirement”
This inquiry examined and made recommendations regarding superannuation affecting all Australians. ACPSRO’s submission focused on unfair pension indexation arrangements for Commonwealth defined benefit superannuants. Once again the Senate Inquiry recommended a change from CPI indexation. Although the Inquiry’s recommendations were not adopted by the Government they were consistent with recommendations of the 2001 Senate Inquiry mentioned above. It added weight to the arguments ACPSRO and its kindred organisations had put to Governments regarding the inappropriateness and unfairness of CPI indexation.
Involvement in a 2014 campaign to successfully oppose the then Abbott Government’s proposal to revert to CPI indexation of the Age Pension
ACPSRO accepted an invitation from the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers’ Association, an ACPSRO member and contributed to a campaign to bolster public opposition to the then Government’s proposed cost saving measure. ACPSRO was a joint signatory to a subsequent media release, opposing the proposed switch to unfair CPI indexation. The public outcry from retiree organisations and individuals alike influenced the Government to scrap its proposed money grab from pensioners.
Reinstatement of a withheld 2% pension indexation increase
In 1986 due to rising inflation, the then Government discounted by 2%, the annual CPI indexation of Commonwealth civilian and military superannuation pensions.
Member organisations, together with ACPSRO, successfully lobbied the Government over several years and had the previously withheld 2% indexation increase reinstated.
The compounding effect of that reinstatement is significant and flows on throughout the life of superannuants and where applicable, reversionary pensioners.