WE EXTEND OUR VERY BEST WISHES TO ALL FOR A SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY  CHRISTMAS.

Aloma Fennell, our National President was elected , as of yesterday, been confirmed as a Chair of the Global Alliance For the Rights of Older People, Australia.

PRESS RELEASE: Older Women & Superannuation

Older women, (women 55+), in Australia have spent a lifetime of accumulating less, a lifetime of inequality of lower pay than men, of fewer higher paid positions than men.  The gender pay gap persists today. 

This endemic, consistent and appalling discrimination coupled with persistent and consistent workplace discrimination has been highly damaging on the mental health and wellbeing of older women. Particularly for those few older women who have held senior positions throughout their working careers. Women who are educated and capable and who can bring a wealth of experience to leadership roles and who are continuously overlooked due to their age.  

Superannuation? With super introduced in 1972 and with wages set, up to 1976, by industrialized awards, today’s older women have little if any superannuation.

Women are getting married older, having children older, and thus have less opportunity to gain financial security.  Women predominately outlive their spouses and then have their pensions reduced. When divorced they get half a house if they are lucky if not they join the growing 44% of homeless older women.

Superannuation? Today’s older women who began work as single women in the public service up to 1972 had to leave their jobs if they got married because it was deemed they were, ‘taking the job of a man.’ “Today one in every two employed women work part-time compared to only one in five men. On average women employed full time earn 20% less than men.”  

The older Women’s Network Australia Incorporated strongly supports the research finding s of the Per Capita think tank as reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday July 20, 2017 that, “each person’s  super be assessed against an “accumulated pathway” that would model the balance at each age needed to afford a basic retirement.

To see older women in this 21^st Century sleeping out on the street and in cars is a failure of public policy. Shame Australia!! Whose ‘Luck Country’ is this? Today’s Older women deserve more

Aloma Fennell, National President, Own Australia Inc.

Contact: 0420 785 335, ownaust@gmail.com, Twitter: @OlderWomenNetAu.

Government tries to slash incomes of poorest - again

The Australian Council of Social Service urges the Parliament to again stand up against the latest attempt by the Turnbull Government to cut the incomes of people who have the very least in the country.

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said, "The proposal to cut the Energy Supplement will directly hit people already living in poverty by slashing between $4 to $7 per week from people trying to survive on social security payments, including the $38-per-day Newstart Allowance.

"Pensioners, carers, people with disability, people who are unemployed, and single parents all stand to have their social security base income cut if the bill to slash the Energy Supplement is passed.

"Poverty and inequality would worsen and our unemployment payment, which is more than $100 per week below the poverty line, would be cut by $4.40 per week. Pensions would be cut by $7 per week.

"Cutting payments to people who are locked out of paid work will not help them find a job. Instead, it will make it tougher as they will struggle even more to put a roof over their head and put food on the table. For many people, $7 pays for a family meal, an outfit for kids or travel to look for work. 

"Despite being an essential service, in less than a decade electricity prices have skyrocketed by more than 80%, disconnections have increased by 47%, the number of households on hardship measures has risen, and more households are rationing energy to the detriment of their health and well-being.

"Low-income households also continue to suffer housing stress with 800,000 low-income households paying more than 30% of their income in rent and more than 100,000 people are homeless.

"We commend the Nick Xenophon Team, Labor, the Greens, Senator Lambie and Senator Hinch, for previously rejecting this and other cruel measures. We urge them to stay firm.

"The community sector is united in its opposition to it. The government should focus on improving the adequacy of our unemployment payments rather than throwing their recipients into further destitution.

"Newstart is unbearably low. Business, unions and the community sector all agree that the level of the unemployment needs to be increased. It is extraordinary that the Turnbull Government persists in trying find budget savings by cutting income support to this group even further.

"This Bill has been repeatedly rejected by Parliament. It is a 'zombie' that needs to be buried with the rest. It is cruel to keep this threat over the lives of people affected.

"We call on the Parliament to protect the incomes of up to two million people receiving income support and again reject this bill," Dr Goldie said.

Contact:  Australian Council of Social Service, 0419 626 155

During Senate Estimates this week it was revealed that the Coalition Government is continuing with its plans to attack the pension. Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann, admitted on Wednesday that increasing the age pension to 70 years of age remains Coalition Government policy. This would mean that all Australians, whether they work in an office or in manual work, would be required to keep going until they’re 70, and it’s yet another example of how out of touch this Government is with ordinary Australians. The Older Women's Network Australia Inc will fight this unfair plan.

1.This week the National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) released their analysis on the impact the recent budget will have on women. They found that some women will be hit with an effective marginal tax rate of 100%. In Senate Estimates this week the Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, and the Office of Women revealed that they have not requested any modelling from Treasury on the ways in which women will be affected by changing marginal tax rates. Senator Cash, as the person coordinating women’s policy, has every opportunity to address issues affecting women in the budget. She has the information and analysis that could have informed the budget, yet at Estimates she did not seem to know anything about the effect of the budget on women. This should be a key priority for the Minister for Women.

From: "Rosie Batty - Never Alone"
Subject: My letter to Malcolm Turnbull
Date: 16 March 2017 08:41:21 AM AEDT
To: <[email address suppressed]>

Dear OWNA: Aloma

Throughout Luke’s short life I found myself in and out of the court system more times than I could count. This was incredibly stressful.

Too many family violence victims face similar situations every day.

Many people cannot afford legal representation and one of the few avenues of support available is the Community Legal Centre network across the country. This also includes Women’s Legal Services.
Sign my letter asking the Prime Minister to save Community Legal Centres.

From 1 July 2017, Community Legal Centres across Australia will be forced to close their doors or turn victims away due to a 30% cut to Commonwealth funding.

The ripple effect of these cuts will be huge, family violence victims will have to face their abuser without legal representation and without additional support.

I am asking the Prime Minister to intervene urgently to reverse these cuts. You too can sign on to my letter here. 

As the federal budget nears, it is critical to ask the Prime Minister to reverse these proposed funding cuts and keep Community Legal Centres open. They must be able to adequately support family violence victims at their most vulnerable, particularly in regional and remote communities where access to justice is most difficult.

I hope you’ll join me  - add your name to the letter here.

Thanks for standing with me, 

And the Never Alone team

You have probably heard a lot in the media about the Pap Test Program changing. From December 1st , the current Pap Test Program (also known as Pap Smear) will be replaced by the Cervical Screening Program which will include a Primary HPV test rather than a Pap test.   There has been a lot of media about this so we wanted to give you the right information so you know how these changes will affect you.These changes are a result of new evidence, better technology and will help improve early detection of cervical cancer and save lives.   The new National Cervical Screening Program will: invite women to participate in the National Cancer Screening Register replace the Pap test with the more accurate Cervical Screening Test invite women aged 25 to 74 years to undertake the test increase the time between tests from two years to five years invite women 70 to 74 years to have an exit test   Please take the time to read more information about the changes and the reasons behind the changes on the ACCF website and if you would like to know more, here is the official website from the Department of Health.   We urge you to talk to your doctor or health practitioner about what these changes mean for you specifically and until 1st December, continue with your Pap tests if you are due to have one. We will update you as we find out more, but make sure you keep up to date on our Facebook page and our website at www.accf.org.au   Kind regards Joe Tooma CEO, Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation

View this email in your browser 2016-17 Aged Care Approvals Round – Allocation of  Short-Term Restorative Care Places The Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP today announced the allocation of 475 new Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) places worth an estimated $34.7 million. A total of 400 STRC places will take effect in 2016-17 with a further 75 taking effect in 2017-18. The STRC results from the 2016-17 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), including details of the successful approved providers, are available on the department's website. The STRC programme increases the care options available to older people, through a time-limited (up to 56 days), goal-oriented and multidisplinary package of services. The programme may be delivered in a home/community setting, a residential aged care setting, or a combination of both. Eligibility for STRC is determined by a comprehensive assessment undertaken by an Aged Care Assessment Team. My Aged Care comprehensive assessors will be able to begin assessing clients across Australia for STRC eligibility from Monday 27 February 2017. From this date, the new STRC providers will be able to add details of their new services and allocated places to the My Aged Care website. This information will support assessors in making service referrals, and will supplement the national list of STRC services now available on My Aged Care. For more information about STRC please visit the STRC website, or contact STRC@health.gov.au. The results of the second phase of the 2016-17 ACAR covering its residential aged care and capital grant components are anticipated to be announced by mid-2017. Ageing and Aged Care Group Department of Health Copyright © 2017 Advice to the Aged Care Industry, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you provided your details to the department or you opted in to receive our advice messages. If you are not already receiving these messages for the aged care sector, you can subscribe atagedcare.health.gov.au/AgedCareUpdates If you are unsubscribing from this service and you're a provider of aged care services (funded under theCommonwealth Aged Care Act 1997 or via a CHSP grant agreement), the department requests that you supply an alternate email address, for example a group mailbox, to continue receiving important information for your organisation. Do you need to update your contact details? You can update your subscription preferences in MailChimp and change your email address or organisation type. If you have problems updating your information, email aacei@health.gov.au for help.

OWN Australia Inc. 

A registered charity working for and on behalf of the Older Women (55+) of Australia

Help us in our advocacy work by becoming a member of our National Body (OWN Australia inc) or by simply subscribing to our quarterly National Newsletter (NN).

Annual Membership: $50.00 (included NN)

NN Subscription $30.00

See our website for payment details or contact us on email: ownaust@gmail.com

The Great Australian Dream–

Housing for ALL

 

Saturday February 11, 2017 (12pm – 2pm)

Speakers

Senator Lee Rhiannon 

•  Australian Greens Senator for NSW

Prof Alan Morris (UTS),

• Prominent urban and housing studies scholar
• Author: The Australian Dream

Emeritus Professor Frank Stilwell (PhD)

• Emeritus Professor in Political Economy at the University of Sydney.
• One of the preeminent economists in the field of Political Economy in Australia.
• Author of eleven books including ‘Economic Inequality’, ‘Who Gets What?’ & ‘Reshaping Australia’

Katherine McKernan

• CEO Homelessness NSW

OWN AUSTRALIA INC

The only organisation in Australia solely focused on and dedicated to the Rights, Dignity and Well- being of the OLDER women of Australia. We celebrate our new charitable status 

DONATE NOW

we need your help to continue

Paypal to OWN Australia Inc, or postal order to PO Box 511 Neutral Bay NSW 2089

OWN Australia Inc (OWNA)has been invited, by our local Federal Minister, to a roundtable discussion with the new Federal Health Minister's team to discuss issues of importance for policy directives, in regards to Health. OWNA will speaker directly on the health concerns of Older Women and we need your help!

This opportunity, I am sure, will very much work well for OWN, Australia-wide as well as for our affiliate organisations and friends.

Please provide information at your earliest. Information  regarding Medicare particularly as well as general health concerns from a patient and from carer and community workers point of view

Information required by Monday 30 January.

​

Thank you in advance for your contributions.

View this email in your browser My Aged Care evaluation survey coming soon A sample of aged care providers, assessors, health professionals, clients and peak bodies who have used My Aged Care in the last year will be invited to take part in a survey on their experiences. Why participate? If you are contacted to take part, this is an opportunity to tell us how we can improve our services and what we are already doing well. The survey is being conducted by market research agency AMR. Your privacy will be protected and all feedback is anonymous. More information Contact aacei@health.gov.au with any questions about the research. This is the second wave of research to evaluate users’ experiences of My Aged Care. The summary of findings from the 2016 wave is on the department’s website. Ageing and Aged Care Group Department of Health Copyright © 2017 Advice to the Aged Care Industry, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you provided your details to the department or you opted in to receive our advice messages. If you are not already receiving these messages for the aged care sector, you can subscribe atagedcare.health.gov.au/AgedCareUpdates If you are unsubscribing from this service and you're a provider of aged care services (funded under theCommonwealth Aged Care Act 1997 or via a CHSP grant agreement), the department requests that you supply an alternate email address, for example a group mailbox, to continue receiving important information for your organisation. Do you need to update your contact details? You can update your subscription preferences in MailChimp and change your email address or organisation type. If you have problems updating your information, email aacei@health.gov.au for help.

ACOSS Media Release: Centrelink debt fiasco must end immediately

11 January 2017 Centrelink debt fiasco must end immediately ACOSS calls on the Australian Government to immediately suspend the automated Centrelink debt recovery program that is treating current and past Centrelink recipients like second-class citizens. ACOSS also calls for the program to be independently reviewed. Acting ACOSS CEO Peter Davidson said: “Centrelink has demonstrably failed in its duty of care to ensure accurate information is provided to recipients of income support and this failure is causing undue stress, anxiety and harm to some of our most vulnerable people. “In December, we wrote to the Minister calling for the immediate suspension of the debt recovery program because of the systemic problems with the data-matching system. “ACOSS does not oppose debt recovery action where overpayments have occurred. However, Centrelink must properly investigate overpayments rather than shift the onus of proof onto Centrelink recipients. This would not be accepted from a private creditor and it should not be accepted from a government agency assisting financially vulnerable people. “To reach an arbitrary target of $4 billion in savings, the government has opted for an error-prone system. For every million dollars raised, it’s likely that hundreds of people are told to repay debts they don’t have and hundreds more are needlessly subjected to stress and anxiety. “The government has a duty of care towards people who call on it for support, especially those on low incomes. It has breached that duty of care with this debt recovery program, which is why the program must cease in its current form to prevent further harm. “We are hugely concerned that people are paying back debts that they do not owe because it is too hard to prove that they do not owe it. Where people have issues with the online portal, many cannot get through to Centrelink on the phone and are not receiving the help they need at Centrelink offices. “To add insult to injury, a 10% recovery fee appears to be systematically applied to debts when it should only apply where people knowingly or recklessly give false information to Centrelink. “Automated debt recovery action must be suspended, including against people who have already received letters. ACOSS repeats its call to Minister for Human Services Alan Tudge to meet with organisations representing and assisting Centrelink clients in the near future to redesign the program so that it is accurate, fair and humane.” Media Contact: Charmaine Crowe, ACOSS, 0419 626 155 While ACOSS is not equipped to provide individual advice, we suggest that people receiving these letters who are anxious or uncertain how to respond contact a welfare rights centre or free legal advice service for help. A list of welfare rights centres is here: http://www.welfarerights.org.au/organisations The National Welfare Rights Network has published a fact sheet providing information about what to do if you have a received a debt letter here: http://www.welfarerights.org.au/news/2017/1/9/new-factsheet-centrelink-online-debt-system Other sources of assistance include: Legal Aid Commissions - http://www.nationallegalaid.org/  Your local legal aid commission can give you information and advice. Your local community legal centre - http://www.fclc.org.au/find_a_clc.php  Provides legal information and advice. Most services are free. Commonwealth Ombudsman - www.ombudsman.gov.au/ Assists the public by investigating and resolving complaints about Government departments and agencies (and is undertaking its own investigation of the automated debt collection system) Your Local Member of Federal Parliament - http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members Lifeline 13 11 14 - a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. People affected can also register their concerns on social media using either http://www.notmydebt.com.au/ or on twitter at #notmydebt

OWN Australia Inc will be in Melbourne 15th - 18th January. If you would like to meet with us and be involved in the re-establishment of OWN Vic please contact the OWN Australia National President - Aloma Fennell on 0420 785 335

To Senator Leyonhjelm

The Older Women's Network Australia Inc strongly objects to the insulting comments made by you as reported by the Australian newspaper and the ABC:

​'​

Senator Leyonhjelm said Australians should "reinforce the notion" that "when you retire you will only receive the pension if you're poor and it's nothing to be proud of".

​'​

​Do these comments apply to Politicians and their pensions?

Clearly you have no idea of the billions of dollars in unpaid contributions made to the Australian society​  predominately older women. Clearly you have n idea that older women were, during their working lives, not entitled to superannuation, who had to leave their jobs in the public sector when they married because 'they were taking a man's job' and should now feel ashamed because of this? 

Well shame on you Senator, shame on you

Aloma Fennell 

National President

(OWN) Australia Inc.

T: 02 4396 5052

M. 0420 785 335

Email: ownaust@gmail,com

www.ownaustralia.org.au

Advocating for the Rights,Dignity and wellbeing of the Older Women of Australia

What a way to start the new year! Surely this man must be vilified be all. 

OWN Australia strongly objects to these comments by Senator David Leyonhjelm.

Senator David Leyonhjelm calls to restrict pension, says being poor 'nothing to be proud of'

By political reporter Uma Patel

Crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm says people who receive pension payments should not be proud because it shows they are poor.

The Government has restricted access to the aged pension for 300,000 older Australians as part of a tightening of the assets test which began yesterday.

But Liberal Democratic senator Leyonhjelm said the restrictions did not go far enough.

"Taking the pension shouldn't be something you aspire to, it should be something you try to avoid because it signifies you're in a low income group — in other words you're poor, or close to poor," he told the ABC.

The crossbench senator wants the payment to be viewed as welfare — not an entitlement for taxpayers once they reach a certain age.

"We really have to get over this idea that you don't have to save for your own retirement and your own old age," he said.

He continued his calls for the family home to form part of the assets test for pensions.

The Government has been defending its changes to the pension during the summer holidays, as Labor ramped up their calls to have it reversed.

Senator Leyonhjelm said Australians should "reinforce the notion" that "when you retire you will only receive the pension if you're poor and it's nothing to be proud of".