SCOA Australia will hold its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) as one national organisation.

The AGM will be held in Canberra on Tuesday 26 September 2017 at 10.30 am at the Ainslie Football Club.

Click here to read the relevant documentation and see who has nominated for election to the new National Committee that will take the organisation forward for the next twelve months.

Please contact National Office on 02 6286 7977 if you have any questions about the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Canberra
6 September 2017

We have received the following helpful hints for claiming your SCOA Australia membership fees if you use MyGov/My Tax online platform to lodge your tax return.

The solution is to go to Section 3 (Personalised return) and tick the box for “other deductions” and then go to Section 4, “locate other deductions”, and enter SCOA and the relevant figure (depending on the type of your membership).

The Australian Tax Office’s Class Ruling 2003/76 contains more details of who can claim the membership fee and how much.  Click here to read the Tax Class Ruling.

SCOA Australia
National Office
21 August 2017

On 10 August 2017, the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs released its report into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Ending Carbon Tax Compensation) Bill 2017 (Provisions).

The Senate Committee decided to recommend that this Bill be passed, even though most of the submissions to the inquiry (including SCOA’s) had recommended otherwise.

Click here to read the Committee’s report

SCOA Australi
National Office
21 August 2017

Centrelink has published a Guide to Australian Government Payments valid from 1 July to 19 September 2017.

You can access the publication by clicking on this link.

The publication, as well as more details about any of the benefits avilable through Centrelink, go to  www.humanservices.gov.au .

SCOA Australia
Canberra
2 August 2017

Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, has published the 2017 Age Pension Guide.

The Guide covers topics including:

• A comprehensive introduction to the age pension;
• Information regarding how overseas travel affects age pension payments;
• eligibility and how assets, investments and income testing may affect age pension payment
• Information regarding the pension age; and
• Benefits for carers.

You can download the publication by clicking here

Canberra, 10 July 2017

The June edition of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation’s Third Act, Freedom In Retirement, Newsletter is now available.

Click here to read the newsletter

Canberra, 10 July 2017.

SCOA Australia today lodged its submission to the Senate Standing Community Affairs Committee regarding the proposed removal of the energy supplement.

SCOA Australia is opposed to this legislation.

Click here to read the submission.

Canberra
6 July 2017

Welcome to SCOA Australia Incorporated, the new national body replacing the former incorporated branches of the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers’ Association and their governing body, Federal Council.

SCOA Australia has about 8,000 members across Australia and is managed by a National Committee and National Office located in Canberra.

In launching SCOA as a national organisation, President Dr Annette Barbetti said that “we believe that this restructuring will make SCOA bigger and stronger and will enable us to speak with a louder voice on our members’ behalf”.  And, she wanted to assure members that advocating on their behalf would remain SCOA’s core business.

Click here to read the media release.

Canberra

16 May 2017

SCOA Australia’s President, Dr Annette Barbetti, today commented on the recent federal Budget, welcoming the reinstatement of the Pensioner Concession Card and the one-off Energy Assistance Payment of $75 to single Age Pensioners and $125 for couples, adding that “this payment will no doubt prove to be only a small fraction of the increase in energy costs expected to occur this winter”.

SCOA also commented on other proposed Budget measures, including the increase in the Medicare Levy and the lifting of the freeze on the indexation of the Medicare rebate, as well as the ability of those over the age of 65 who downsize to deposit up to $300,000 ($600,000 for couples) from the sale of their home into superannuation as a non-concessional contribution without any work test or age restriction.

Click here to read the media release.

Canberra

16 May 2017

On 16 February 2017, SCOA wrote to the Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, regarding the “ten percent issue”.
We received a response from the Department of Social Services which said that the government has no intention of changing or repealing the relevant legislation.
Federal Council Federal President, Annette Barbetti, has again written to the Minister complaining about the unsatisfactory response.
Click here to read Annette Barbetti’s correspondence with Minister Christian Porter.

Canberra
19 April 2017